Garlic as a treatment for ICH (FAM ARTICLE)

[fishfreek]

Just wanted to post that there is a nice article about the use of Garlic as a treatment for ICH in the lastest issue of FAM (Fish Aquarium Magizine)

It talks about how much of the evidence supporting this treatment is more antidotical rather than scientific. Talks about how this treatment started and gives some other treatment methods for ICH also.

Its an interesting read for anyone.

 

[maiceman]

Just an update from a previous discussion. I was fighting ich daily on my clowns..... After raising the temp as discussed earlier I have not had anymore problems. Of course there are a million other possibilities why but this seems to have helped my problem out..... I no longer keep my tank at 79-80... it is 83-84.

 

[Guest]

Ich

Fishfreek,

Thanks for the info...I need to get a subscription. I haven't had the ICH problem so far (Knock on Wood), however, handy info to have.

Maiceman,

I also, keep the tank at 84 deg as directed by fellow keepers of the sea. I did however, have to add a small airstone to my 55 gal tank (I don't like the venturi in the powerheads). The reason for this, is the amount of disolved oxygen in 84 deg water is low due to the temp. As I noticed the fish were not as active in the 55 as they were in the 29 gal, I added the air stone in the corner of the tank just under the sand and weighted down with a small rock. This makes the air bubbles a little larger, and I haven't noticed as much salt creep. The fish are happier.

ICH doesn't stand a chance as well in 84 deg water.. Just M2C.

 

[Anemoneman]

Without the benefit of a sump to agitate and vigorously aerate the water, I would suggest aiming a power head across the surface to agitate and increase the oxygen exchange at eh surface. The amount of dissolved oxygen imparted by an air stone is negligible from what I have read.

Mark

 

[Guest]

Ok, not to argue

Ok, forgive me, not to argue here, however, I guess all of the books I read are no good, because, every single one I have picked up, has mentioned using an air stone in temps greater than 78 deg. because of dissolved oxygen being depleted.
I believe from what you are saying, air stones are strictly for cosmetics? I find that hard to believe since they have been in the aquarium trade for many many years.....I am sure that if they didn't do anything, they wouldn't be in use as much as they are today.

 

[Guest]

ICH

Besides, the topic is ICH and I was merely commenting on the use of 83 to 84 deg water and my experience with an air stone in my tank.

Thanks again FF for the ICH info

 

[fishfreek]

IMO the smaller the bubbles the better. This is why skimmers are so good at oxygenating the water. airstones produce larger bubbles that effectivly float to the surface vs having a large amount of the air being absorbed by the water.

Of course the air stone does increase the surface movment as the bubbles break the surface.

 

[Anemoneman]

Ok, forgive me, not to argue here, however, I guess all of the books I read are no good

Besides, the topic is ICH and I was merely commenting on the use of 83 to 84 deg water and my experience with an air stone in my tank.

Sounds like I hit a nerve there. Sorry for the offense timbo. I stand behind my post. IMO airstones or using the venturi on a powerhead to aerate the water have no place in a SW setup. Bursting bubbles of SW below hot lights causes significant build up on the bulbs IME, I get some salt creep on my lights as it is. Using them in a skimmer or sump makes more sense because salt creep is less of a concern.
BUT this is a hobby of personal preference. If you want an airstone for the cosmetic or other beneficial effects, it's your tank. You aren't the only reef keeper to have airstones in the display tank. With water temps being set to the mid 80's these days, it seems like it makes more sense to mitigate low oxygen levels and without a sump, an airstone may be a useful alternative, especially when placed prudently in order to reduce salt creep as you have done.
I would be interested in measuring dissolved oxygen in SW at various temperatures. Anyone have a good link?

 

[Anemoneman]

I believe from what you are saying, air stones are strictly for cosmetics? I find that hard to believe since they have been in the aquarium trade for many many years.....I am sure that if they didn't do anything, they wouldn't be in use as much as they are today.

This is a misleading statement. Many products and contraptions offered for use in this hobby have little or no benefical use on salt water tanks. The trend torward "natural reef keeping" these days makes a lot of equipment that was once thought of as essential, obsolete or downright harmful. A few that come to mind are wet dry filters, power filters, Diatomaceous Earth Filters, undergravel filters, trace element additives, crushed coral substrate, etc. One should be wary of outdated advice found in many older reef keeping books such as the use of ozone, water temperature, salinity level, chemical additions, etc. The bottom line is to do your research, use discussion boards for open discussion and debate, weigh the pros and cons, and then make a decision for your own reef tank. I agree with those that say there is more than one way to do this hobby.
My way is certainly not the only way and definitely not THE right way but it has given me many years of success. I DO have opinions however and, unfortunately, I like to share them in large quantity.

Mark

 

[Guest]

Sorry

Sorry guys, I was a little nervy there,

I do not know for sure why the fish got more active when I put the airstone in there, (Probably scared them) and they could not like it. ???

I do however have a w/d sump and good water flow...about 600gph out of the sump at least I guess it is, it is a 1000 ghp at 0 and I have it running about 3.5 feet. ??? I do aim it somewhat to the front of the tank and up to the surface and the life on the rocks seem to sway at a good pace in the water... I may not need the air stone now...??? I will try removing it and see.. I don't think it adds to much at all to the cometic, just had it

 

[clownfish]

So, to break in with a newbie question: Higher temps cause less oxgen in the water? A while back I raised the temp to 80-82 in my tank as a preventive against ick, no problems, but I wanted to keep it that way.

Noticed my two clowns were swimming funny and seemed sluggish, so after a few days, i lowered it again to 78. Seem much happier.

 

[Grant R]

I no longer keep my tank at 79-80... it is 83-84.

Best thing to do to kill off ICH, but don't forget, higher tempratures also can be better for other diseases.
Once ICH is cured, I tend to slowly reduce the temp. back to normal, but thats just IMHO >

 

[fishfreek]

Grant, Many of us have our saltwater tanks at 82-84F normally.

Clownfish, as the temp rises the amount of oxygen that the saltwater can hold goes down. But what is up for debate overall is HOW MUCH the oxygen goes down. It could be just a few ppm or it could be more. I have not seen any scientific results showing the exact decress given a specific temperature nor what would be the optimal temp before large oxygen loss occurs.

 

[Anemoneman]

Might be a good question for a scientist who like to do these kind of studies. Dr. Ron maybe?

 

[maiceman]

I have not witnessed any change in my fish or corals since the temp change other then no ich. I have very good water flow across the surface of my tank. In fact my flow hits the opposite corner and is driven towards the DSB so hard that it has caused a low spot in the sand. I am running about 500 GPH and am thinking about putting a TEE at the end of the return to reduce divert some of the flow to another direction.

One thing I would say to support the surface flow theory is good trout water.... LOL. I don't know how many of you are fly fisherman but we always look for a good ripple in the surface to find trout. A very wide slow flowing river does not have the O2 that trout like. The Colorado river is great trout fishing in the narrow high flow areas that also contain deep lower flow pools. In the wide slow flowing ares their are very few trout but more carp and suckers.