Hypo salinity importance

[hkgar]

What is the down side of not being at 12 salinity versus 14. I reduced salinity from 35 to 12 over 5 days and for some reason it bounced back to 14. I brought it back to 12 and after a day it was back to 14. I am not sure why it keeps increasing. I have an ATO system.

I suspected it might be from adding Mag (Randy's 2 part recipe 1A) as it includes Epsom Salts, but I checked the salinity of the solution and it reads 0, so I assume there is no sodium in Epsom Salts.

I use a refractometer and calibrate it to 35.

I don't enjoy changing out 30 gallons of water at a time, but I will if necessary. It is a 180 gallon tank with a sump and about 225 total water.

After the large water changes I try to add Mag, Alk and Ca to get to about 1250, 8.5 and 420 of each so that ph can get close to 8.0. Without adding them ph goes down to 7.5.

All that is in the tank is my one remaining fish, a 3.5 inch Yellow Tang and live rock. Oh, and the algae I can't get control of. I am running GFO and carbon and skimming.

The tank has been Hypo since Feb 12

 

[Mrscribbled]

It must be at 1.009 since this is when rupture occurs. Most likely you have pockets in your sand bed leaching salt. your live rock could be as well. This is why a bare bottom hospital tank is needed to treat fish.


Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

 

[hkgar]

OK, thanks.

Another 30+ water change today.

Any idea why I can't get my ALK to stabilize? I got it to 8.5 last night and it is at 5.7 this morning with ph at 7.3

CA 300 and Mag 1130

 

[Mrscribbled]

Just another side effect of disrupting an ecosystem. If only one fish needed treatment, would have been better all around to remove and let the display alone. Will be along time before your tank is back to normal.


Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

 

[hkgar]

There were 8 living fish in the tank (Regal Tang, Naso Tang, Yellow Tang, Kole Tang, Powder Blue Tang, Copperbanded Butterfly, Flame Angel, Blue Headed Wrasse. I made attempts to capture with no success. Rather than remove all live rock and coral to catch fish I choose to remove Coral and inverts and Hypo the display, In retrospect (good ol' 20/20 hindsight), I should have removed the rock and captured fish, but I am where I am and trying to make the best of it.

Maybe I should raise the tank salinity and capture the Yellow Tang and place him in my QT tank and start over? The QT is a 20 gallon where the corals and inverts are now residing.

 

[Mrscribbled]

You'd have to set up another tank for the yellow tang so the display can get back to coral ready. I think in the end it will be easier on you.


Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

 

[hkgar]

You'd have to set up another tank for the yellow tang so the display can get back to coral ready. I think in the end it will be easier on you.

Not sure I see the need to set up another tank?

I thought I would get the DT back to coral ready with the Tang still there and then move him (her) to the QT and the corals to the DT and then go Hypo in the QT, or treat with Cupramine.

 

[Mrscribbled]

That will be fine, just be prepared for another ich outbreak during that time. It will come back once salinity is raised. Might take two months to be coral ready. Thats why another tank is ideal, or at least get one cycled now, just in case.


Posted from ReefCentral.com App for Android

 

[Triton_Z]

OK, thanks.

Another 30+ water change today.

Any idea why I can't get my ALK to stabilize? I got it to 8.5 last night and it is at 5.7 this morning with ph at 7.3

CA 300 and Mag 1130

Are you still running this tank at low salinity as first posted? If so, this is why you alk and other parameters are in flux. This is one of the disadvantages of running hypo salinity. pH and Alkalinity will be low and can swing rapidly due to lack of buffering (low salt, less buffering capacity).

If you have removed the inverts and corals, don't bother measuring Ca, Mg, as you're wasting tests. Don't attempt to manipulate those values at all as again its unnecessary given your current situation.

You're using your DT to treat the fish and the current ich infestation by hypo, so keep watch on salinity, ammonia, and pH. Again, the bane of hypo is the lack of alkalinity, the corresponding pH swings, and possible bio filter die-off. The use of a buffer like Sodium Bicarb and carbonate can help increase and stabilize your pH. This are available in pre-made formulations/mixtures.

You do realize you will have to run the inverts and corals holding tank fishless for about 9 weeks to eliminate the risk of re-introducing Ich back into your DT?

Best of luck. You have your hands full.

 

[wooden_reefer]

There were 8 living fish in the tank (Regal Tang, Naso Tang, Yellow Tang, Kole Tang, Powder Blue Tang, Copperbanded Butterfly, Flame Angel, Blue Headed Wrasse. I made attempts to capture with no success. Rather than remove all live rock and coral to catch fish I choose to remove Coral and inverts and Hypo the display, In retrospect (good ol' 20/20 hindsight), I should have removed the rock and captured fish, but I am where I am and trying to make the best of it.

Maybe I should raise the tank salinity and capture the Yellow Tang and place him in my QT tank and start over? The QT is a 20 gallon where the corals and inverts are now residing.

If you just attempted but failed to transfer fish, my guess is that you used a net to chase the fish.

I almost never use a net.

Often catching fish calls for high degree of comitment to a fixed length of time and effort. Success rate is high.

Go to walmart to buy several plastic containers. make sure they have no plastic smell.

You have to remove ALL rock and most every thing else and submerge all rock in water. You drain out 60-70% of the water. You do NOT use a net but a thicker clear plastic bag to very slowly herd fish into the plastic bag. Use a large bag and move very slowly, don't set them in panic. You then place the bag and the fish in an obaque rigid plastic container. If the fish does not harm you, you can use your hand for final transfer. If the fish is venomous, use a rigid tool. Best done in near darkness so the fish won't struggle as much.

A net is the most deadly cause of bacterial infection. If you do not like a nylon rope rubbing against your eyes, try not to use a net to catch fish. They can panic and get hurt.

If you have desirable inverts that get stuck on the glass, it may be harder. Sometimes the risk of a net has to be taken, but try to avoid it if you can.

 

[Dmorty217]

Hypo only masks diseases it will not cure them. If you have a fish in a hypo tank not showing signs of disease doesn't mean you are in the clear. When the fish goes into normal salinity the disease will show up again. Treat with proper medicines is the only way to keep healthy fish, hypo isn't a long term solution

 

[wooden_reefer]

Hypo only masks diseases it will not cure them. If you have a fish in a hypo tank not showing signs of disease doesn't mean you are in the clear. When the fish goes into normal salinity the disease will show up again. Treat with proper medicines is the only way to keep healthy fish, hypo isn't a long term solution

I believe this is not true.

I think many people do not keep salinity low enough.

Likely 1.010 kills nearly all and reduces the appearance and lead people to relax. If you maintain rigor of low salinity of 1.009, hypo seems to work against ich.

I have used it on scaleless fish with successs, but not frequently enough to be 100% sure.