Lost ALL my fish again :mad2:

[Pacdaddy]

It's been a while. How long do I have to wait for whatever parasite was in the water to die off without a fish host? Is it 2 weeks or 4 weeks?

I'm an idiot. I hadn't QT in the past. My wife didn't want a second tank. This time she was upset that we lost Nemo and friends so I won my right to a QT tank set up. I lost them all fast this time over 4 days, 7 fish. 3 New (1 Powder Blue Pacific tang, 1 Kole tang, 1 Naso tang) 4 good friends ( a mated pair of Oscolarus Clowns, 1 additional Clown, 1 beautiful Gold Head Goby) I didn't think it was going to affect me so hard. I'm going to restock a whole lot more wisely. I'm going to lean on however wants to help me please. There are no guarantees in this hobby, I know. After 6-1/2 years and 3 total losses, It's not just a hobby anymore. It's more to me and my family.

I have a 100 gl reef, with an 11 gl sump, Monster Red Sea skimmer. I have a 3 phase lighting system. I keep a 20gl reservoir underneath for my water changes. I use a 6 stage R.O. water system with bulb floats in my sump and reservoir.

Thank you for any tips anybody can give. Don't be afraid to treat or tell me I'm a moron.

 

[OkR33Fer]

Depends on the parasite, if it was ick the tank should be fallow(without fish) for 45 days.

 

[Gwynhidwy]

I don't think anyone will call you an idiot. We all make mistakes and most of us usually only learn things the hard way.

As OkR33Fer said, the time your tank should be fishless really depends on the parasite or disease that killed all your fish. If it was ich, I have to respectfully disagree with OkR33Fer on this, a minimum of 8 weeks is needed, not 6. For some other, less common parasites, it is longer. Do you know what disease killed your fish?

Proper quarantine is the best way to avoid this kind of thing. Restock slowly and consider prophylactiaclly treating fish for diseases that are particularly common to that species.

 

[Pacdaddy]

I don't think anyone will call you an idiot. We all make mistakes and most of us usually only learn things the hard way.

As OkR33Fer said, the time your tank should be fishless really depends on the parasite or disease that killed all your fish. If it was ich, I have to respectfully disagree with OkR33Fer on this, a minimum of 8 weeks is needed, not 6. For some other, less common parasites, it is longer. Do you know what disease killed your fish?

Proper quarantine is the best way to avoid this kind of thing. Restock slowly and consider prophylactiaclly treating fish for diseases that are particularly common to that species.

My first entry back in should be support fish first correct? The goby. I'm picking up a QT today. Its a 55 gl complete system used. I was thinking of starting that cycle with Damsel's and new water. In a 4 weeks move the Damsel's out and add the Goby to the QT. Then work on getting Clowns again after the goby is in the DT. I want to add a six line wrasse, also. When should that fit in the schedual? Do you QT Clowns together if there from the same stock?

 

[wooden_reefer]

It's been a while. How long do I have to wait for whatever parasite was in the water to die off without a fish host? Is it 2 weeks or 4 weeks?

I'm an idiot. I hadn't QT in the past. My wife didn't want a second tank. This time she was upset that we lost Nemo and friends so I won my right to a QT tank set up. I lost them all fast this time over 4 days, 7 fish. 3 New (1 Powder Blue Pacific tang, 1 Kole tang, 1 Naso tang) 4 good friends ( a mated pair of Oscolarus Clowns, 1 additional Clown, 1 beautiful Gold Head Goby) I didn't think it was going to affect me so hard. I'm going to restock a whole lot more wisely. I'm going to lean on however wants to help me please. There are no guarantees in this hobby, I know. After 6-1/2 years and 3 total losses, It's not just a hobby anymore. It's more to me and my family.

I have a 100 gl reef, with an 11 gl sump, Monster Red Sea skimmer. I have a 3 phase lighting system. I keep a 20gl reservoir underneath for my water changes. I use a 6 stage R.O. water system with bulb floats in my sump and reservoir.

Thank you for any tips anybody can give. Don't be afraid to treat or tell me I'm a moron.

A QT can be a temp setup. You can put it in the garage most of the time.

If you keep a biological filter medium active in a small container, you can use it in your QT as you quickly set up your QT.

 

[Pacdaddy]

A QT can be a temp setup. You can put it in the garage most of the time.

If you keep a biological filter medium active in a small container, you can use it in your QT as you quickly set up your QT.

I was worried about Heat in the Garage. The water heater would be enough you think. As for Biomaterial. Is a Biowheel filter enough? I thought they needed starter fish to start the cycle.

 

[wooden_reefer]

I was worried about Heat in the Garage. The water heater would be enough you think. As for Biomaterial. Is a Biowheel filter enough? I thought they needed starter fish to start the cycle.

You need a source of ammonia and bacteria seed to start a cycle.

The ammonia source can be excretion from fish (outdated), excretion from human (urine), and decay of food containing protein, ammonium salt such as NH4Cl.

You can keep a filter medium very dense with very active nitrification bacteria using any ammonia source to maintain the medium. Continued water circulation is better but partly exposed in air (moist) will work, less well but likely enough. You can spray ammonium salt solution on a partly exposed medium every now and then.

 

[wooden_reefer]

It's been a while. How long do I have to wait for whatever parasite was in the water to die off without a fish host? Is it 2 weeks or 4 weeks?

I'm an idiot. I hadn't QT in the past. My wife didn't want a second tank. This time she was upset that we lost Nemo and friends so I won my right to a QT tank set up. I lost them all fast this time over 4 days, 7 fish. 3 New (1 Powder Blue Pacific tang, 1 Kole tang, 1 Naso tang) 4 good friends ( a mated pair of Oscolarus Clowns, 1 additional Clown, 1 beautiful Gold Head Goby) I didn't think it was going to affect me so hard. I'm going to restock a whole lot more wisely. I'm going to lean on however wants to help me please. There are no guarantees in this hobby, I know. After 6-1/2 years and 3 total losses, It's not just a hobby anymore. It's more to me and my family.

I have a 100 gl reef, with an 11 gl sump, Monster Red Sea skimmer. I have a 3 phase lighting system. I keep a 20gl reservoir underneath for my water changes. I use a 6 stage R.O. water system with bulb floats in my sump and reservoir.

Thank you for any tips anybody can give. Don't be afraid to treat or tell me I'm a moron.

Eradicating ich is very doable, and if you know how it doesn't take a lot of work, but patience.

All new fish no matter how healthy they look must go thru 8 or more weeks of actively treatment against ich, not just observation. Exception may be trade with another aquarist. All fish from LFS or online must be presumed to be infested with ich.

All water from LFS and online, that comes with inverts, should be presumed to be laden with ich. All inverts must have been fishless for eight or more weeks.

You must cycle the medium intended for QT very well in advance. I mean very well, very dense and active nitrification bacteria population in the medium. The best way is to use the seed and waste method.

Good Luck

 

[OkR33Fer]

I don't think anyone will call you an idiot. We all make mistakes and most of us usually only learn things the hard way.

As OkR33Fer said, the time your tank should be fishless really depends on the parasite or disease that killed all your fish. If it was ich, I have to respectfully disagree with OkR33Fer on this, a minimum of 8 weeks is needed, not 6. For some other, less common parasites, it is longer. Do you know what disease killed your fish?

Proper quarantine is the best way to avoid this kind of thing. Restock slowly and consider prophylactiaclly treating fish for diseases that are particularly common to that species.

We'll have to agree to disagree. Fallow - 45 days, Hyposalinity - 8 weeks. I only had one major run in with ich and solved the problem.

 

[wooden_reefer]

We'll have to agree to disagree. Fallow - 45 days, Hyposalinity - 8 weeks. I only had one major run in with ich and solved the problem.

Hard to argue against six weeks if the water is quite warm, but I do eight weeks.

A bit of chance and luck between six and eight weeks, IMO