HELP, how to setup/maintain up hospital tank? fighting ICK!

[Mbeef61]

recently my 90 gal FOWLR got ick from a copperband i introduced, they are gradually comming down with it one by one. i setup a 29 gal hospital/quarantine the other day and one fish (my red emperor snapper) is in it now. i am treating with cupramine beacuse i have had success in the past. He isnt doing nearly as good as he was in the tank, even with the copper. i found that it is because the hospital tanks ammonia is steadily climbing. ive never had this happen before in my hospital tanks. and i havent fed anything and the bottom is clean. (no substrate). i know i am missing the biological filtration, but how can i solve this when treating with copper? wont it kill the bacteria? everything else is fine, i have a whisper 30 filter, powerhead, no substrate or decorations. i am concerned now because i think i might have to add my trigger and clown and maybe an eel. this cant happen until i get the NO4 prob fixed because it will go through the roof.

ALSO, does anyone know anything about eels and ick, their susseptability and treatments. thanks

 

[Phyl]

The copper should be killing off your denitrifying bacteria (surprised you didn't have that experience last time you used copper). From what I'm to understand your only defense is a strong offense. Frequent, plentiful water changes should help you keep it under control. I haven't used cupramine, but what I read says that you should dose the change water so that you're sure that your treatment levels stay on target.

In my 30g QT I've added an overflow. I currently have that circulating through a 10g tank but if I needed to treat my entire tank of fish I would probably put a garbage can next to it and essentially double the volume (I think QuarryShark's QT is setup that way).

Can't help you with the eels though. Good luck.

 

[tiptoptank]

I own Discus so W/C's are nothing new to me. Just Put some sponge filters in the tank.( like ones rates to 100 gallons) and do W/C of 50 % every day or every other day. Jus treplace the curamine in the tank. I use a hlaf dose of cupra nd it works every time, and doesn't stress the fish as much

 

[steve-s]

½ dosage of Cupramine is not effective against C. irritans. Don't let the concentration fall below 0.4 ppm. Dosing the change water before using is the best means of maintaining the correct concentration.

As far as your water quality concerns, Cupramine will hamper the biofilter but it won't destroy it. It really comes down to the amount of bioload vs tank size and filtration used.

Cheers
Steve

 

[tiptoptank]

Does Cupramine lower O2 levels? I know copper sulfate does but I am not sure about Cupra. It would be good to know.Especialy if I bumb the temps tp 88.

 

[steve-s]

Especialy if I bumb the temps tp 88.

Why on earth would you do that. It wouldn't matter what med you use if the temp goes that high the dissolved O2 would lower no matter what.

As far as the med is concerned, it isn't the direct impact on O2 but rather the QT's inability to deal with wastes that lowers available O2. Copper sulfate destroy's the biofilter, unlike Cupramine it will hamper it some but it eventually recovers. Unless your refering to the sulfates sometimes lowering affect on pH?

Cheers
Steve