Which method to use??? Help please

[xahx]

Hi I have recently quarantined my fish in a spare 40 gal, Now ive decided to either treat the marine ich with hypo or with cupramine.

Ive been recommended on both... The problem for the hypo is i only have the coral life deep six hydrometer... and ive been told i need to have a refractometer or pinpoint salinity tester etc...

The other problem with hypo for me, is that i have 2 diferent stories of how to do it.

1. The forum: tells me to lower salinity gradually over a week from 1.023 to 1.009 and let it stay there for a week then to bring it back up in a weeks time... so total of 3 weeks

2. The Local Fish store says: I only need to lower it to 1.017 and to lower it gradually within a weeks time and o leave it for a week then bring it back up in a weeks time? again total of 3 weeks...

which is correct????

Do u guys recommend cupramine if this is my situation?

Also told me to keep my display tank fishless for 30 days to kill the ich...

I have purple tang
clown tang
pair black clowns
fairy wrasse
few goby's
a blenny

 

[xahx]

would it be safe to do with my hydrometer?

 

[quarryshark]

The forum: tells me to lower salinity gradually over a week from 1.023 to 1.009 and let it stay there for a week then to bring it back up in a weeks time... so total of 3 weeks

You can bring it down to the 1.009 level over the course of 2 day with a series of water changes. You would then leave it at this level for a period no less that 4 weeks. Then you gradually raise it at a pace of 0.001 per day. Watch the PH during the treatment, it has a tendency to fall during the period of transition.

The Local Fish store says: I only need to lower it to 1.017 and to lower it gradually within a weeks time and o leave it for a week then bring it back up in a weeks time? again total of 3 weeks...

Won't do a thing , not low enough to disrupt the life cycle.

would it be safe to do with my hydrometer?

The best would be to get yourself a good refractometer. Swing arm hydrometers are notoriously inaccurate.

Also told me to keep my display tank fishless for 30 days to kill the ich...

I would go at least 6 weeks. 4 weeks has a recent history of not being long enough.

Do u guys recommend cupramine if this is my situation?

Also a good treatment. Just be sure to have seachems multitest kit for copper to monitor the treatment level.