treating main tank

[sqrle]

I just moved some fish from QT to my DT. After about 24 hours saw one with signs of ick, scratching and maybe slightly high breathing rate. The next day, saw spots on the fins. The next day the spots were gone but i could still see some areas where the spots were, looks like the peppermints picked the spots off. What I am wondering is if it is possible to treat in the main tank for ick if I remove all of the inverts and corals. I do not have the space or the money for another 55g tank. I have a 10g that I use for QT. What I was thinking is to put the corals and inverts into the QT and treat the main tank. Then after about 3 months, move the corals and inverts back. is that possible to do that. I don't see why not.

I will be doing a series of water changes to get the ick treatment out of the water after the fish are better. I am just trying to figure out if this will cause any problems down the road, or will it kill off any good bacterias and stuff.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Any true treatment for ich will kill off everything except fish. If you treat with copper, you won't be able to keep consistant levels of it in solution because calcium containing rock and substrate will suck it up. That will also cause it to leach back into the system once you've "removed" it, causing problems down the road. Hypo won't cause permanant damage to the main, but it will kill everything off.

No one says you need a full 55g display tank for a QT. Many folks use Rubbermaid tubs for hospital tanks. I'd do that before treating my main.

 

[melosu58]

I agree with Kurt. I would not treat the main. A cheap Rubbermaid tote will do the job.

 

[sqrle]

That's what I was thinking, but thought it would be easier and more affective to try to treat the main tank. What sort of lighting would I need for the QT tote, would standard flourescents work? I have a 32 gallon rubbermaid garbage bin that I use to mix my water in, I suppose that I could use that. I guess that I would have to leave them in there for about 3 months to make sure that there is nothing left in the main to be safe?? Water changes very often are mandatory I guess in a situation like this since there will be no rockwork or sand in it.

thanks in advance

p.s. my fishload is 1 yellow tang, 2 perculas, 3 very small blue/green chromis, 1 yellowheaded goby, 1 yellow wrasse, 1pygmy angel and 1 bi-colour pseudochromis.