Ich treatment in QT used for corals later

[Fishmommy]

I have one QT tank and plan to QT both fish and corals (separately, at different times)
I would like to prophylactically treat each fish for Ich.

Is it safe to use Copper based medications in the QT tank, then run Cuprisorb on the tank, and then later house corals in that same tank assuming copper tests at zero?

I have gotten different advice for this and am looking for more opinions.

 

[reefwiser]

Once copper is used in a tank it can not be removed. A small 5 gallon can be used for corals.

 

[Fishmommy]

thanks....looks like I got some bad advice before.

So separate tanks it is. How long should I QT coral for? I was planning a dip of some sort and then observation for some period of weeks. Is there more to it than that?

Noob here...sorry!

 

[Mrscribbled]

Once copper is used in a tank it can not be removed. A small 5 gallon can be used for corals.

I disagree, a good rinse and some vinegar will remove any trace of copper. Copper does not bind with plastic, glass, or silicon.

 

[Mrscribbled]

I have one QT tank and plan to QT both fish and corals (separately, at different times)
I would like to prophylactically treat each fish for Ich.

Is it safe to use Copper based medications in the QT tank, then run Cuprisorb on the tank, and then later house corals in that same tank assuming copper tests at zero?

I have gotten different advice for this and am looking for more opinions.

Yes, this is fine.

 

[reefwiser]

Good luck with that not in my 40 years of fish keeping.

 

[Mrscribbled]

Good luck with that not in my 40 years of fish keeping.

I do have good luck with it. Seachems website will say the same.

 

[HumbleFish]

It can be done, but it's one of those things you wanna be OCD about doing.

Rinse thoroughly, wipe every nook & cranny down with vinegar, rinse & wipe with vinegar again, etc. etc.

 

[TheGodParticle]

Once copper is used in a tank it can not be removed. A small 5 gallon can be used for corals.

Incorrect. Please provide empirical evidence showing otherwise. This is another fish myth that won't die. Rinse the tank out well, use vinegar or whatever, and you will be fine.

 

[Fishmommy]

if I do attempt this, what about filter media - will copper bind to it? Should I throw it away and re-cycle?

 

[snorvich]

I disagree, a good rinse and some vinegar will remove any trace of copper. Copper does not bind with plastic, glass, or silicon.

This. The copper thing is a popular misconception going back for a long time. This rinse and dry is a good idea in any case.

 

[reefwiser]

Incorrect. Please provide empirical evidence showing otherwise. This is another fish myth that won't die. Rinse the tank out well, use vinegar or whatever, and you will be fine.

Sadly I was president of LMAS for many years. As part of the club I also ran a QT fish and coral hospital I also helped at the local zoo with fish and inverts. I have nursed thousands and thousand of corals and fish personally over the years.
If you don't keep copper treatment and medicine treated tanks separate you will end up having an issue. I ended up using a color code of red to mark my cooper/ medicine tanks. I also kept charts on each tank so that I knew what type of problems the fish or invert had going back to the first time the tank was used.
I learned the hard way on this one.
If you want to just wash out a tank and say its free of copper and all the filters and other supplies for a QT tank are free of copper that is your choice to learn.

 

[snorvich]

While I do not believe in treating with copper prophylacticly, this thread is a useful discussion of the subject with regard to cleaning tanks afterwards, and the dangers of using copper under certain circumstances. On the other hand, I am paranoid about spreading pathogens biological or otherwise.

 

[Paul B]

I disagree, a good rinse and some vinegar will remove any trace of copper. Copper does not bind with plastic, glass, or silicon.

I agree with your disagreement. My 42 year old reef had copper in it for the first 8 years or so at the beginning of this hobby. The gravel, water and rocks are still in there, no problems yet. Eventually copper can be removed as it is in my tank. If you empty the tank and re fill it, there will definately be no problems as we are not talking about radioactive waste here.

 

[snorvich]

I agree with your disagreement. My 42 year old reef had copper in it for the first 8 years or so at the beginning of this hobby. The gravel, water and rocks are still in there, no problems yet. Eventually copper can be removed as it is in my tank. If you empty the tank and re fill it, there will definately be no problems as we are not talking about radioactive waste here.

I am too old to figure out double negatives. However, I agree with this. So what do we do with radioactive waste? Should be a separate thread. :hmm5:

 

[Paul B]

No, radioactive waste can be used to treat ich, but the glow the stuff imparts to the fish may be undesirable. Maybe thats how they make those freshwater glow fish.
Snorvich, your older than me? I am thrilled. :beer:

 

[Fishmommy]

I welcome the discussion, but it sounds like it's too risky for my taste.
The problem is I have only a 36" space, so I guess I will replace my 30g QT tank with a 10-15 for fish and a 5 for corals to fit in that space and keep separate.

 

[snorvich]

No, radioactive waste can be used to treat ich, but the glow the stuff imparts to the fish may be undesirable. Maybe thats how they make those freshwater glow fish.
Snorvich, your older than me? I am thrilled. :beer:

Yes, for sure. Been doing this hobby a LONG time as well. I was breeding freshwater angelfish in the late 50's.

I will start using radioactive waste to treat ich in my tank transfer protocol and then I will not have to use moonlights on my tanks. Great idea!

 

[Paul B]

I was breeding freshwater angelfish in the late 50's.

Wow you are old, I was only breeding Betta's in the late fiftees and didn't graduate to angelfish until the 60s. :lol:

 

[snorvich]

Wow you are old, I was only breeding Betta's in the late fiftees and didn't graduate to angelfish until the 60s. :lol:

Actually, I liked Bettas as well. From Bettas I went to Gouramis then to angels. I tried discus but could never get it to work.