"ICH FREE TANK" Quest Begins

" i will leave the remainder in and begin hypo treatment in addition"

From my understanding this is not a good idea. The two should not be mixed.

I think the low KH and possible ph swings from hypo can cause the copper be become deadly.

It looks like you have been at this for some time so maybe you are better informed but I recall reading this.

I also tried hypo for 6 weeks at 1.008 - 1.009 with a refractometer and it did not kill off the ick. So I went to copper (in the display of my fish only but that is another thread).

B.
 
Triggerfish,

Sorry for your loss! I would not do Hypo at the same time either. With that much copper, your fish are probably at max stress level and the cycle will be even HARDER to maintain with hypo. How much cycled media are you using in QT? I found it takes alot of good cycled filtration along with water changes.

My recommendation would be to see what low levels of cupramine will leave you with first (just enough to match instructions).

Best of luck!
 
yeah thanks..i am aware of possible issues with combining the two treatments.
typically in the past when doing hypo i didnt run into much problem with ph flucuations..however, i will need to monitor it regularly nonetheless.

edit: posted same time.

i just realized something.. the qt already has low sg.. about 1.015
i think with the extra copper i put in there trying to combat some spots that appeared on one of the percs, that i'm not totally sure what they are, and the lowered sg i ran into a problem not monitoring ph closely enough.

i think i'm starting to lose my mind after dealing with this for the past 18 months..i'm getting too careless now..
 
Last edited:
i hope i dont get back to disaster later tonite..i decided to drip lime water in the QT at a very very slow drip.
as the ph continues to hover around 7.8-8.0.

my source water has very very low ph, under 6.0
 
I have successfully treated ich in a QT using hypo. Left tank fallow for 7 weeks. It was before this thread started. My tank has been ich free for over a year now.
 
That makes at least 2 of us -
Been ich free for over a year now too (with Blue tangs)!

If you get there - QT EVERYTHING and it should work out for you.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8349829#post8349829 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Triggerfish
good question..i'll have to attempt to summarized the history a bit.
Click to expand...
Yeah, this thread is way too long. It's pretty hard for those just joining to catch up.

Triggerfish you seem to be the ringleader, I'd be interested in a general synopsis of your particular quest from the beginning to now. Seems like you've been at it for a long time. If anyone else wants to provide a summary of their experience, that'd be dandy too.
 
Another update,

I haven't seen any spots since my original posts - almost a year ago I think?

I just added my new chevron tang. It got 2 weeks of QT observation, then transition to hypo for 6 weeks, 10-14 days of transition back to normal SG, and a week of observation. It went into the main display last night. So far so good.

I've been using distilled water to calibrate the refractometer, any info about weather or not this is more accurate than using RO?

I'll update if the new fish develops any problems.
 
Edit;

"It got 2 weeks of QT observation, then transition to hypo for 6 weeks"

That came out wrong.

I meant to say;
It got 2 weeks of QT observation, then 1 week transition to hypo for 6 weeks, then transtion time back to normal SG.
 
that's good news on your part.
i'll know how i stand in about another month.

RO or distilled...same calibration issues. apparently it may not effect the refract readings down low in the hypo range...but nonetheless, confusing enough to question the accuracy of the unit at any salinity level.
 
Man trigger, ich is a pain isn't it?

I gave up on treating my fishs and just let them tough it out. I was tired of looking at a coraless 300 gal tank and just decided to put things back to normal

Ich of course is still there. I was doing huge water changes, but the point was moot when they multiplied fast.

I did add a UV and restarted the Ozone. Its keep the population in control to a certain extent. I still have ick :(

I lost track how many months I have been doing it.
 
so far,,conditions look very promising. the 8 week fallow period really may have been the solution here.
if my eibli angel i added 10 days ago doesn't show signs in another 3-4 weeks i think i may be eradicated.

i sold off my mac angel, so only original fish that were added back was one clown,,but that fish didn't display any signs of the parasite anyway. he did have some large ugly looking white lumps on his fins in qt though.. think it was Lymph... he wasn't looking good....however,that cleared up and now the fish is looking very good.

i've also added 2 chromis and they fine as well.

currently have a new gramma in qt right now..ich showed up on him within 1 day-covered .so will be awhile b/f that fish gets cleared.

i witnessed again last night,,a reef tank doing very well with a very mild case of ich. the guy didn't even know it was there.
noticed ich on couple of his fish, including a small hippo.
probably depending on the particular c.irritan strain he has and partially dependent on fish health,, is the only reasoning i can think of why it doesn't explode into a full blown infestation.

as a result of seeing many reef systems with signs of the parasite present, i am left to believe it's possible to have a successful system with mild infestations.
i really believe this possibility is strain dependent and results will vary based on that condition alone.

good luck with your tank and hopefully the population will eventually die off if you do not inadvertently add another.

updated pic of tank..just added another 40lbs rock after being qt for over 6 weeks.

365tank_7.JPG
 
Well..i've been getting pretty excited here.

couple of scary moments when what looked like possible ich was in fact, sand stuck to the head area of the Eibli. whew... this fish gets banged up a bit moving within the rock crevices that results in increased slime around the head area.. the sand which does move around a bit within the tank,,,adheres to the extra slime coating on the fish.

it's been 4 weeks since the angel has been in there and 7 weeks since the 2 clowns have been in after treatment.
total of 9 fish in tank now. so no definite signs of parasite for roughly 7 weeks now..the angel was going to be the largest test to date...has a nice black tail area which makes parasite infestation nice and visible if it's there.

the peace of mind of the possibility of being 'ich free' after more than 1.5 years is pretty awesome. although the day has not arrived yet where i do not scour the fish for evidence,, but hopefully soon..another month perhaps...

Update to follow.
 
Hey Trigger,

Remember about my tank and the year long battle?

Well...I installed a 40 watt uv for my 300 and its working out pretty well. Not all the ick is gone, but the fishes are doing better :)

I know you added a UV somewhere, but not sure where. Try adding a 40 watt Rainbow Lifeguard with a 400-500gph pump going through it.

If I add another 40 watt, I won't be seeing ick at all anymore.
 
Been awhile since i updated here.
Everything seems to going very well.
There appeared to be some possible evidence of slight indications of ich over the past 5 months..

I know for a fact 5 months ago i introduced an infected fish after the fallow period mentioned above.

however in that time period all fish have been thriving and growing.
i added a yellow tang over 2 months ago and this fish is super healthy. perhaps the strain i reintroduced is much weaker than the other that was so difficult..who knows...

everything is going so well, i no longer even look for evidence of the parasite. either it's not there or if it is nothing is really giving me any indication of a problem.
 
Great thread on fighting ich

Great thread on fighting ich

Just wanted to say I REALLY appreciate this thread and it's continuity for almost two years. I've done the ich battle myself, as have many of us, and appreciate the hope and desires revealed in wanting to rid your tanks of it. Like most of you, I accepted the reality that it's basically there and not going away, so try to live with it as long as it's not torturing, or lethal to, my fish.

Why? Because it seems for some, the treatments were worse than the affliction, for the fish, and many were lost in the process. That's what's kept me from treating my fish for the holy grail of ridding myself of this parasite completely. I don't want to stress and possibly lose some of my fish unless I absolutely have to! I realize some people had no choice, and I know that may be my situation some day as well. Until then, though, I simply want a "truce" in the war since I know I can't win it without, at best, casualties.

This thread, although long, reads well because it's a story and filled with ups and downs, mounting frustration, triumph and disappointment...then eventually, acceptance for many.

I don't think I've seen any other threads quite like it on RC. My sincere thanks and appreciation. Jack
 
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