Anthony,
Wow so many questions. I am currently experiencing an ich problem and would like some advice. I have read as much as could find on the net including all of the related topics at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ichartmar.htm .
I feel some background info is in order just to give you a better ideal of the problem, and my experience, or lack there of which is perhaps the problem.
I have been reading books and everything on the web related to reef keeping for around 5 years, yep I have your book and am awaiting the new one. Reading and executing, two entirely different animals, I set up my first salt water tank January 1st 2003.
As short and sweet as possible it is a small tank, 30 gallons. I also set up a refugium above the tank at the same time the tanks matured or cycled together. The tank is doing well in terms of my small frags all growing like weeds. I think in part to the refugium and its healthy population of pods and shrimp, but I digress.
Please remain seated as you read this next part. Ok, its like this I bought fish at a LFS, I am form Pittsburgh, and dumped them right inââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦
I know now that they should have been isolated and I have been sufficiently chastised, I think, but go ahead if you must. Three weeks, three weeks, three weeks see I have it beat into my head now. Now on to the Ich I have tried upping the temp, 82, and garlic supplements, to no avail. I just set up my treatment tank in the basement, it is a 10 gallon, no substrate it does have a few small rocks for cover, they were ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œdeadââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ base rocks and will forever be for the treatment tank. It has a heater a light and a canister filter. This is where I am getting confused. There are so many things out there that all seem to contradict each other, please help. In the canister I have the basic foam floss and some ceramic filter media that was used to aid the cycle of my main tank. Can the said media be used or will it interfere with the copper treatment? Ok more questions often I read that the treatment tank should bee as similar in terms of water parameters as the main tank, so should I leave the salt hi and just treat with copper or gradually lower it once the fish are in. And for the love of god once and for all how long will the tank, the main tank, need to remain fishless to do the parasite in once and for all. I have read 30 days 60 days and even 90 days, I have also read it will never completely go away.
Well if you managed to get this far,
Thanks Much,
Michael in daââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ Burgh nââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢at.
Wow so many questions. I am currently experiencing an ich problem and would like some advice. I have read as much as could find on the net including all of the related topics at http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ichartmar.htm .
I feel some background info is in order just to give you a better ideal of the problem, and my experience, or lack there of which is perhaps the problem.
I have been reading books and everything on the web related to reef keeping for around 5 years, yep I have your book and am awaiting the new one. Reading and executing, two entirely different animals, I set up my first salt water tank January 1st 2003.
As short and sweet as possible it is a small tank, 30 gallons. I also set up a refugium above the tank at the same time the tanks matured or cycled together. The tank is doing well in terms of my small frags all growing like weeds. I think in part to the refugium and its healthy population of pods and shrimp, but I digress.
Please remain seated as you read this next part. Ok, its like this I bought fish at a LFS, I am form Pittsburgh, and dumped them right inââ"šÂ¬Ã‚¦
I know now that they should have been isolated and I have been sufficiently chastised, I think, but go ahead if you must. Three weeks, three weeks, three weeks see I have it beat into my head now. Now on to the Ich I have tried upping the temp, 82, and garlic supplements, to no avail. I just set up my treatment tank in the basement, it is a 10 gallon, no substrate it does have a few small rocks for cover, they were ââ"šÂ¬Ã…"œdeadââ"šÂ¬Ã‚ base rocks and will forever be for the treatment tank. It has a heater a light and a canister filter. This is where I am getting confused. There are so many things out there that all seem to contradict each other, please help. In the canister I have the basic foam floss and some ceramic filter media that was used to aid the cycle of my main tank. Can the said media be used or will it interfere with the copper treatment? Ok more questions often I read that the treatment tank should bee as similar in terms of water parameters as the main tank, so should I leave the salt hi and just treat with copper or gradually lower it once the fish are in. And for the love of god once and for all how long will the tank, the main tank, need to remain fishless to do the parasite in once and for all. I have read 30 days 60 days and even 90 days, I have also read it will never completely go away.
Well if you managed to get this far,
Thanks Much,
Michael in daââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢ Burgh nââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢at.
Play it safe in the future and you will have far fewer problems 
No exceptions
) while the display runs fallow without a viable host. Daily water changes from the bottom of the tank for 8 consecutive days can actually break the cycle (Ich) without meds in some cases... but play it safe and do FW dips and/or Formalin treatments to be safe. 3-5 FW dips in 5 days is quite effective. 3 minutes min... preferably 5-7 minutes if the species is tolerant. Anything less than 3 minutes is literally a waste of time. Fishes acting sluggish or laying down in the bucket is normal... but spitting water at the surface is great duress and warrants early pull from the dip.
