Post Hospital Question

[ryshark]

I'm finally coming towards then end of a hyposalinity treatment and will be putting the fish back into the main tank shortly. I have 2-questions, any advice would be appreciated.

1) I did not have any lights on my hospital tank, just sunlight going in the room. I do have bright lights on my main tank. Is it ok for me to put the fish right back into the main, or do I need to do some type of light acclimation in addition to the normal acclimation?

2) My hospital tank will have been at 1.009 for 6-weeks straight. I'm going to raise it back to 1.025 and then put the fish in the main. I already have another fish on hold for me at the LFS. ( I got rid of some fish in the begining of the hospital tank process because of bio load issues) The fish on hold will be a new fish for me. Can I put it right into my hospital tank for QT(since I will be back to 1.025) or do I need to change the water out since I did a hyposalinity treatment? Thanks.

[Innovator]

IME you should wait a couple weeks after hyposalinity treatment just to make sure nothing develops; however, I would add the fish during your dusk cycle (if you have one) and allow it to adjust throughout the night.

Empty, clean, sterilize, and refill the hospital tank.

[ryshark]

I wouldn't mind waiting a couple weeks after the hyposalinity to keep the fish in the hospital. However, my 3" hippo tang has to be going nuts in a 10gallon with 2x 1"clowns going on 8-total weeks. I do have a dusk cycle, maybe I will start it a few hours before the main lights turn on that day.

So I need to sterilize the hospital tank after hyposalinty? Can I do that by briging it in the backyard and hosing it out with fresh water? If I do this I will have to put my bio pad from the hospital into the main for the time being and that seems like a bad idea if I need to sterilize my hospital tank???

[Kurt_Nelson]

Originally Posted by ryshark

I wouldn't mind waiting a couple weeks after the hyposalinity to keep the fish in the hospital. However, my 3" hippo tang has to be going nuts in a 10gallon with 2x 1"clowns going on 8-total weeks. I do have a dusk cycle, maybe I will start it a few hours before the main lights turn on that day.

Agree with Innovator... I'd give him another week at normal salinity just to make sure everything's OK. The tang has been in there 8 weeks... what's another week! Plus... the fish doesn't really know he's going back in at any time, anyway!

So I need to sterilize the hospital tank after hyposalinty? Can I do that by briging it in the backyard and hosing it out with fresh water? If I do this I will have to put my bio pad from the hospital into the main for the time being and that seems like a bad idea if I need to sterilize my hospital tank???

I'd sure rinse out the tank good after using it to cure ich - even though the ich is all supposedly dead. It's pretty good practice to sterilize everything after treatment. And that includes your bio pad. In no way would I put it back into your main. I understand you don't want to lose your bacteria, but that's why it's always a good idea to keep a pad or something in your main to keep an established colony ready to go for your QT. My biowheel gets the bleach treatment after use in the QT, but that's why I have another one on my main tank.

Just my opinion, but that additional fish should probably wait a while until you can get your QT cleaned out and recycled. That will also give your other fish time to get re-established in their old tank without the additional stress of a newcomer.

[melosu58]

James hit it on the head. Good advice.

[cmor1701d]

Good advice above. I just want to add that you want to raise SG SLOWER than you lowered it.