ich/sterilizer thoughts..

[SDReefer44]

So i'm fairly sure i brought ich into my take via some chaeto. Thought I sanitized it thoroughly, but must have let some come thru.

The male half of my perc pair has it the worst, with his better-half and my yellow and kole tang showing signs. Tank parameters as follows:

Nitrates: 5ppm
Nitrites: 0
Salinity: 1.025
Calcium: 420
Alk: 8dkh
Magnesium: 1320
Phosphates: 0

SPS, duncans, rbta and zoas are having intense growth/success. I started a garlic dipped feeding today and will probably do a 10% water change. I'm seriously considering a UV sterilizer, but am concerned about its effect on the rest of the tank. I've run them before with success curing ich, but only as a short-term solution. Would it be the end of the world if I lost these 4 guys? No, but still stinks. Thought about QTing...but have never had success with this, gen just kills the specimen in my history.

I've seen folks have their fish get thru ich with clean water parameters (which I believe I have)..but who knows. Thoughts? Suggestions? Running a sterilizer is about as controversial/debated over as carbon, vodka, kalk vs. 2-part..etc. But always helps to get input from the local brethren. Thanks!

 

[Painted skin]

I've always ran UV with my sps when I had them and now just fish. UV maybe a preventive, but does nothing for curing ich it is NOT a cure if only it was that simple which it's not. I've been hit 3 times with ich and I've been running UV full time since day 1 with proper flow. Having clean water means nothing when it come getting ich, ich is parasite and you can have pristine water and still get ich as long the parasite is in your tank.

 

[MrTuskfish]

If you're constantly losing fish in your QT; something is wrong. A QT is safe, easy, and vital for long-term success. IMO & IME.
UV can eliminate some bacteria, algae spores, etc. It does basically nothing for ich; except give folks some false optimism that delays real treatment. Ich just just go away. Some fish develop temporary immunity to some strains of ich and ich can just be present in very low numbers. If ich isn't treated, its still there and will return. The only question is how bad and when. The ich will almost always win in the end.

 

[humaguy]

uv does not help..
can you mention how you are losing fish during this process?
are you using cupramine and Prime or any other ammonia binding agent concurrently?
this is highly toxic to fish and will kill-off a tank real quick...
qt is the best route to healthy livestock and a healthy dt..
I would also recommend against the use of garlic as it could neg affect your fish's liver...