Question about HT set up

[reefer333_]

Hi RC,

Unfortunately, my tiny blue tang has ich (just started noticing it today). I am trying to set up HT so that I can treat all my fish with hypo method. How would I seed the HT so that there won't be any ammonia spike during treatment. Do I need to put a lot of LRs from display? or just a few pieces is enough? I don't want stuff inside the LRs to die from low salinity. I am curious to know how experienced reefers cycle their QT or HT. Any input is appreciated.

Also in the future i will be making HT tank into QT tank. How would I maintain the QT to stay cycled when i am not using it? keep feeding food to the empty tank with salt water?

 

[Spar]

HT's are best left as plain as possible. Glass, heater, water movement (powerhead or HOB or my favorite airstones), and PVC hiding places. No live rock is necessary. As long as you aren't jam-packing the aquarium with fish, you really don't need to overthink the cycle component of this. You can add some bacteria-in-a-bottle, add Prime/AmQuel as needed, test regularly early on, and use a Seachem Ammonia Alert for a quick read (not to be 100% relied on, but can save the day for sure).

Bacteria will form enough on the glass and surface of objects like the heater, PVC and other equipment, enough to sustain the non-packed aquarium. Feed lightly during the time, and do frequent (every other day or less often, as needed) small water changes, mainly focused on removing settled debris (leftover food, poop) from the bottom.

When not in use, as you stated just keep feeding it, maybe around 1/4 of what is usual for the fish.

Be sure to read up on the negatives of Hypo. Low-salinity resistant Ich and stress when increasing the salinity. TTM or Copper or CP are the generally relied on methods to kill off Ich.

Also, if you have other fish in your DT, they are also infected and you will need to treat them outside of the DT as well, and then fallow your DT for 10-12 weeks. Always always treat new fish before moving them to your DT in the future once you have done this. And fallow treat all non-fish (can carry in cysts that will hatch 3-72 days later).

 

[reefer333_]

Hi Spar,

Thanks for the reply. I will be treating every fish from the display. tiny blue tang, flame angel, orchid dottyback, firefish and small mandarin dragonet. That is why I am a bit worry about ammonia spike since I will be using 20 gallon HT tank to treat them all and I don't want fish to be further poison due to ammonia and nitrite.

I read up on TTM last night and I might try that, even then, I still need a QT tank after TTM is complete to hold the fish until display is ready in 8-10-12 weeks. I think the QT tank will go through cycling process during that 10-12 weeks regardless of how little I feed and how often I do small water change? How do I pre-cycle QT tank? since in this case, I can't even use anything from my DT since it is infected.

 

[Spar]

you could pick up a 30g from petco (generally is only $30) to give you 50% more water volume. that will help a little.

regardless, just take the steps I described above and you will be fine.

Bacteria will form enough on the glass and surface of objects like the heater, PVC and other equipment, enough to sustain the non-packed aquarium. Feed lightly during the time, and do frequent (every other day or less often, as needed) small water changes, mainly focused on removing settled debris (leftover food, poop) from the bottom.

It will just take a little more attention than you would had you already had a cycled tank for them. Keep plenty of pre-mixed water available for the water changes. I.e. even if you have to dose Prime/AmQuel every day, that along with a little 'vacuming' is all that will be necessary; double that with adding bacteria from a bottle, and will be fine. Nitrite's aren't toxic to saltwater fish, so only ammonia is your issue.

 

[reefer333_]

Thanks, Spar. One more question. Should I move the mandarin as well from DT tank? I read conflicting report that mandarin can and cannot get ich. To be on the safe side, I should move it, but I am afraid that it will starve to death in the QT. I have plenty of pods in my DT, but will have nothing in QT. I can buy some bottle pods, but it will be very costly if i have to continue feeding bottle pods for 8-10 weeks. Thanks.

 

[Spar]

Thanks, Spar. One more question. Should I move the mandarin as well from DT tank? I read conflicting report that mandarin can and cannot get ich. To be on the safe side, I should move it, but I am afraid that it will starve to death in the QT. I have plenty of pods in my DT, but will have nothing in QT. I can buy some bottle pods, but it will be very costly if i have to continue feeding bottle pods for 8-10 weeks. Thanks.

all fish can get Ich. maybe not as easily on the body itself given thicker skin or mucus coats, but they are not immune by any means. their gills are free game. so yes, need to move him also.

find the product Nutramar Ova (...spelling may be off...), as that is generally accepted by Mandarins.


edit - example below even though they are currently out of stock...
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=18988&cmpid=03csegpl&ref=6111&subref=AA&CAWELAID=525421508&CAGPSPN=pla&catargetid=530005150000113568&cadevice=c

 

[Zane24]

Do you have any sponge filters in your DT tank? If you use copper for treatment of Ich you can move a sponge filter from you DT in to the HT. that will get some bacteria in there immediately. Assuming its been in the DT for some time. As mentioned previously you can still add bacteria in a bottle and use prime as needed.

 

[Spar]

Do you have any sponge filters in your DT tank? If you use copper for treatment of Ich you can move a sponge filter from you DT in to the HT. that will get some bacteria in there immediately. Assuming its been in the DT for some time. As mentioned previously you can still add bacteria in a bottle and use prime as needed.

good points. i do this for post-TTM. but since my DT is ich-free I can do this, whereas you wouldn't be able to unless, as Zane, stated you do copper. it may work to an extent for hypo, but lowering the salinity does kill off a good portion of the bacteria.

 

[reefer333_]

Out of three methods, copper, hypo and TTM, which one is easiest on the fish? Which one is your personal preference? The reason I am afraid to use copper is because I have mandarin and i think they are sensitive to copper? And I read that copper is too hard on the fish? Thanks.

 

[Spar]

IMO/E in order my preference:
1-TTM - most fool-proof method to rid of Ich, won't help with velvet or brook; very easy / low stress on the fish as long as you have the appropriate sized QT and number/type of tank mates during treatment.

2-Copper - highly effective against Ich and Velvet (I think Brook too...); is technically a poison to the fish, so can be harsh on fish, some fish more than others. somewhat difficult to read testkits to ensure you stay at > .35ppm for 4 weeks.

3-Hypo - least effective against Ich given difficulties at maintaining salinity levels and hypo-resistant strains of ich. least stressful method on fish while at the lower salinity, but can be stressful on the fish while increasing the salinity.