question about hyposalinity treatment

[quarryshark]

I have move my fish to qt for ich treatment and decided to use hypo. I recieved my refractometer today and am ready to go.
I understand the spg needs to be raised very slowly, but what about when you lower it? How many points a day should I target? I guess my target level for treatment is 0.010.
Thanks

 

[scuba_steve]

i would go slow just to be safe a few points a day should be good ! but others that have done this can chime in

 

[Atari]

Target 1.009, and I personally don't think it's all that stressful for them if you do it over a couple days but you can take longer if you like.

 

[steve-s]

The salinity can be lowered in segements every 12ish hours. It should only take about 2 days total. Lowering the salinity is much less stressful for the fish than increasing it. 16 ppt is the recommended level but 14 ppt will help prevent an increase in salinity above the treatment range due to evaporation.

Cheers
Steve

 

[PhishPhreak]

How long does it take to treat ich this way? Just curious.

 

[Atari]

The lifecycle is about 4 weeks long, so you need to keep at it for at least that.

 

[quarryshark]

Thanks guys, the temptation is to use cupramine, but they were all treated with copper earlier in the year for velvet. I just don't feel right nuking them again.

 

[srgetz]

here's a helpful site you may have seen: http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html
from that page:

"The goal is to granularly reduce the salinity of the water to between 12 and 14ppt and leave it at that salinity for at least 4 weeks but preferably 6 weeks. Basically continue the treatment for at least 4 weeks after the last spots disappeared.

The salinity must be lowered gradually to give the fish time to adjust to the lower salinity and more importantly ensures the bacteria in the biological filter can adjust. It should take around 2 days to get from 35ppt to 14ppt.

Your starting point should be between 1.025 and 1.027. Replace about one fifth of the volume with RO, RO/DI or aged freshwater that has been well aerated. Repeat this 12, 24 and 36 hours later, monitoring the specific gravity along the way. After the fourth water change the specific gravity should be 1.010 or pretty close. Wait a few hours to make the final adjustment to get down to 1.009. Note that you can estimate the resulting specific gravity. If you are changing one fifth of the water and the current specific gravity is 1.025 the result will be:"

FWIW I have a fish in 10g qt now being treated with hypo, it took me about 2-3 days to get down to 1.010...problem being I got a refractometer and found I was actually at 1.014!! I am now down to 13ppt and just top off the tank every morning. Good thing is hypo allows biofiltration, I have some spare lr in there and no worry of ammonia.

 

[quarryshark]

Thanks, thats just what I did, replace 8 gallons in my 40 gallon qt tank tonight and will repeat in the morning.
I just noticed my ph is running at 7.85. Was thinking about buffering, but I think I will wait. Don't want to make a soup in there.
Boy copper is easier.
I have a refractometer, found out my swing arm is a bout .003 low. Would have been worthless. Crap and I jusr check my ammonia, 1.5. Time for another water change.....here we go.

 

[steve-s]

I just noticed my ph is running at 7.85. Was thinking about buffering, but I think I will wait. Don't want to make a soup in there.

Don't wait. Slowly add some buffer to get the pH back up. This is quite normal while reducing the salinity and througout the entire process. Water changes will only help somewhat but not completely. Also check the alk if possible.

Cheers
Steve

 

[srgetz]

as far as that ammonia, if you have some expendable lr or base rock, you could put it in to help biofiltration

 

[quarryshark]

I might just do that. Its back up over 1.0 again tonight and I changed out 8 gallons twice today. I going to add more seeded sponge first and change another 5 gallons, but they can't handle this for long IMO.

 

[srgetz]

yea It has helped big in my qt...you may lose some life on the rock but it will still biofilter, again i think rock or substrate is only an issue due to absorbing meds

 

[quarryshark]

I think I will stick a rock in there. Would rather loose a rock that any of my fish.
Thanks!!

 

[srgetz]

that will help lower your water changes in qt and reduce chances of losing a fish...what size qt for all those fish?

 

[quarryshark]

Its a 40 gallon breeder.

 

[quarryshark]

I know the bioload is high
My Angel is about 5", Tang is about 3", my heni's are about 3" each, the clowns are about 2" each, the dragonettes are 2" each and the gramma is abour 2.5".
I hate to separate them, most have been together for a time and get along well.
I have another 10 gallon, may move the clowns and gramma to it, we'll see.