My 55 gallon reef project

[specialkb]

yeah post in there with pics.

 

[dcombs44]

I'm guessing the fin rot is caused from the toxin released by the flatworms. Everyone was in perfect health before I used the FWE.

 

[dcombs44]

I tested my params again last night. pH was a bit low at 8.1 to 8.0, but that was a couple hours after lights out. Nitrate and Nitrite was at 0, salinity at 1.025, temp at 80-81, and ammonia measured .25 ppm to .5 ppm. I changed out 10 gallons of water and went to bed.

I attempted earlier in the night to remove my fish to quarantine, but it was fairly useless, and I was only stressing them more. I initially dosed Melafix to the entire tank, but after testing the params I changed the water and replaced the carbon. I may consider dosing the melafix again this evening depending on the situation. Both fish are eating. The clown's fins looked improved this morning, but I cannot see the Tang's sleeping spot. I'll have to wait until this afternoon for his prognosis. I would hope by now that I've gotten the toxins from the worms down below lethal levels. I've changed out 19 gallons of water since last night. Still hoping for the best.

 

[jnarowe]

Have you thought about using Seachem Prime during a water change? From what I understand, it will detoxify the ammonia.

 

[dcombs44]

I just picked some up last night. I've yet to use it. Melev acted like it could be added directly to the tank. I may have to give that a shot at lunch. Thanks for the suggestion jnarowe.

I hope this situation smooths out, and my critters can be happy again shortly. I've yet to lose anything (knock on wood), and I'd like to keep it that way.

 

[dcombs44]

I'm home at lunch. Things seem better today. My clown is looking better all around, and I THINK the tang is improving. I fed some Rod's food and nori with garlic, selco, and vitachem. The clown ate like a pig, the tang was skiddish, but soon joined to eat. Good signs. I was able snap some pics of each. The clown's tailfin is nearly healed, we've got a ways to go for the tang though. The white spots on the back of the tang are on the glass not the fish.

 

[jnarowe]

I often see a lightening of yellow tangs in other people's tanks when theh nitrates are elevated.

 

[dcombs44]

I don't think he's any lighter than normal. That may just be the lighting from the picture. Just the fin damage in the picture. He's actually much more vibrant that yesterday.

My nitrate test is a cheap one, but it read a very solid 0 last night even before the water change.

 

[melev]

Yes, you can put Prime directly into your tank with no risk. It states so on the bottle. I think it is one capful for 50g.

 

[dcombs44]

Thanks. I'll probably do it this evening just as a precaution.

 

[jnarowe]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10452816#post10452816 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Yes, you can put Prime directly into your tank with no risk. It states so on the bottle. I think it is one capful for 50g.

You bottle believer you. :lol:

 

[dcombs44]

Hi again guys. I just got home to a pleasant surprise. Both of my fish were out and active. The tang was swimming around as normal and the clown was nestled up in his anemone (xenia but don't tell him). The clown is looking great, the tang's pectoral fins are still looking a bit rough, but all others seem near perfect.

Both had very voracious appetites, which of course pleased me. Should I attempt to move the tang to quarantine to treat the fins, or continue as normal with vitamins, selco, and garlic to keep him eating well?

 

[jnarowe]

tough decision really. You may do what I did when I had an ailing PBT that I couldn't catch, and that is to keep feeding enriched frozen foods with vitamins, garlic etc. Feeding a good variety of enriched foods may be less stress than QT. And you can talk to Marc until you are blue in the face about what to feed. I have been following his frozen food method since day one with absolutely excellent results, other than my overly healthy aiptasia population.

 

[dcombs44]

As you well know, my peps do an excellent job of handling my aptasia. What is Marc's feeding regimen? I currently mix cyclopeeze, rod's food, spectrum pellet, and enriched brine, as well as some nori sheets. I use garlic elixr once in a while, as well as vita-chem and selcon.

Rod's food contains a bit of everything: mysis, krill, grouper, clam, mussel, squid, octo, rotifiers, oyster eggs, brocoli, nori, carrots, and the list goes on.

 

[specialkb]

Im glad to hear everything is starting to look better. Hope everyone pulls through.

 

[dcombs44]

Thanks. I think it's on the way. I'll keep doing my part the best I can. As long as the appetites are good, I like my chances.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[melev]

Jonathan, there are a few products I never worry about using: Prime, B-Ionic, and Chemi-Clean.

I feed once a day from my home-made food mixture, around 9pm. You can read up on it on my site. Nori (1/2 a full sheet every two or three days).

I'd leave the tang in the tank, and let it heal. If it is eating, it should be able to get better assuming it isn't something destructive or flesh-eating. You can add Selcon, Garlic and Beta Glucan to the food to help your fish a bit more via their daily intake of food.

 

[jnarowe]

And I recently posted on someone's thread how I do mine, which is very similar to Marc's. I do not use nori sheets though. I use shredded dried nori. The fish suck it up like sphaghetti so there is never any waste.

 

[dcombs44]

Thanks guys. I'll continue keeping an eye on the tang. If the situation worsens, I'll do what I have to do to get him out and get him treated.

 

[picassoman]

The problem with that return pump is that your overflow won't be able to handle that much water pushing through it unless you have a 2" bulkhead. Depending on a standard one inch bulkhead that is put on most tanks you looking at getting 600 gph max and it will sound like niagara falls.