Hyposaline for my display tank

[cayars]

If you still see ich on the fish past 7 days then your "hypo" isn't working.

Most likely you aren't at 1.009. I myself don't like hypo because of the problems people have with calibration of refractometers and such.

First of all how did you calibrate your refractometer?
What reference solution did you use for the calibration?
At what temperature did you calibrate it?
What temperature is your current tank at?

Do you know anyone with a Pinpoint digital salinity meter you could borrow to check to see where your levels really are?

 

[olin]

There are also a few strains of ich that are getting a toehold in U.S. systems that are able to survive and multiply at even 11ppt. The D.E filters do a really nice job of breaking the reproductive cycle. If you are able to catch the tang in the morning or night (when more of the the trophonts are attached) and give it a formalin dip, that can speed the process as well.

 

[lovelylinda]

I calibrated the refractometer with ro. Tank temp is 79 and pretty much stays there. Maybe I'll take a water sample to Rob's along with the refractometer. I lowered the salinity today to 1.009. The UV bulb is new- I got a new one when the tang came. Oh, and the corals reside in my daughter's aquapod and another tank.

 

[lovelylinda]

So I checked out my refractometer @ Rob's. It's right on. I lowered the salinity to 1.007.

 

[Satori]

Wow, 1.007 sounds a little low. I saw some articles when I was dealing with the ich that said 1.008 was too low, and 1.010 was not effective. (1.009 being the target)

Do you have an auto topoff on the QT? If not, make sure you topoff often. Evaporation can increase the salinity to a level where the ich can regain a foothold.

Another good point that I'm sure you're aware of, is to monitor the pH. With decreased salinity, you get huge pH swings. I put the pinpoint meter on my QT, and had to keep buffering with washing soda to keep the pH up.

 

[lovelylinda]

The PH is stable now, but I check it daily. I top off am and pm. What an ordeal!

 

[owsi]

At least you are doing everything you can, most people don't even try, let alone research before buying. Hope your PBT comes out of it soon, you experience made me go back to my old methods, ordered a Vortex. If nothing else I can get some sparkling water.

 

[Satori]

I agree John. Linda, at least you're researching and doing everything you can. I see tons of threads where people don't do anything and lose a lot of fish.

 

[lovelylinda]

Actually the ich is almost completely gone now- the lower salinity seems to be doing the trick.

 

[Satori]

Cool, glad to hear. Remember to wait 6 weeks after the last sign of ich.

 

[owsi]

Great to hear, now I know how Hypo works.

 

[dfleary]

Is there anything wrong with leaving the tank at that lower salinity indefinitely, as long as the fish are fine with it?

 

[McCrary]

The lower salinity can help to relieve stress on the fish, but hypo isn't good long term.

 

[lovelylinda]

I'm only going to leave the salinity @ 1.008 for six weeks. No more ich on Mr. Tang, by the way. I miss my inverts and corals, anyway. I can't find the fiji leather I got from Matt- if he doesn't turn up, my heart will be broken.