hospital tank setup advice

[sooju]

I need to set up a new hospital tank to treat my fish with hyposalinity (this is my 2nd outbreak of ich despite using a QT, so frustrating). I picked up a new HOB filter today and will start running it on the sump of my main tank. How long would it take to establish enough bacteria to handle the bio load? I will be using an old 26G tank for the hospital tank. The fish are one of each: bangaii cardinal, canary wrasse, royal gramma, chromis, dartfish, fairy wrasse

I'd like to minimize exposure to ammonia during the transition between tanks while also realizing that I'm working against the clock with the ich parasite. Advice, please!

 

[flip0204]

Slowly raise your temperature to 86-88 F and add 1-2 Tbs of aquarium salt to your tank per five gallons. The heat speeds up the life cycle, and most ich strains cannot survive in 86 and above degrees. The salt acts as a slime inducer to fish to protect against Ick maintain the temperature for about a week.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Sooju...Do NOT do this. Flip0204... this is a saltwater tank and what you recommended will NOT work.

Sooju... I'd say a couple weeks on the sump and you should be good, but it really depends on so many things. Even with a seeded HOB, you still could have ammonia issues with introducing all those fish at once. So just make sure you have plenty of saltwater stored for water changes. Afraid there isn't anything else you can do.

 

[flip0204]

sorry kurt i didnt even read what fish they were I agree though the method i was intending to use is for freshwater only sorry for the missinformation

 

[melosu58]

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

 

[sooju]

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure: A Quarantine Tank for Everything by Steven Pro - Reefkeeping.com

I did QT all new fish for a full four weeks, that's why this is so frustrating!!

Kurt, are you suggesting that I leave the fish untreated for two weeks to get the filter seeded? Won't the ich get out of control?

 

[melosu58]

I posted that link to give you some info on creating a QT/hospital tank.

 

[sooju]

I've read that article before. It recommends running a filter in your sump at all times but doesn't say how long it would take to seed a new one. I'm still not sure where the balance is between seeding the new filter and treating the fish asap.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

I did QT all new fish for a full four weeks, that's why this is so frustrating!!

Kurt, are you suggesting that I leave the fish untreated for two weeks to get the filter seeded? Won't the ich get out of control?

Tough call. It all depends on how healthy the fish are, how they're behaving, and where you're at in the ich life cycle.

Safest thing is to put them in now and just be prepared to be doing major water changes. Even if the HOB was fully seeded, it's probably still going to cycle with that many fish - but it should be quick.

 

[sooju]

Here's the plan. Let me know if I've missed anything.

I have the 26G set up at with an established but undersized filter (from my 10G QT) and a wrasse that was in QT (he's going to have to go through hypo with everyone else since I'll need the 10G for the mandarin. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to train the mandarin on frozen foods while he's in there. Fingers crossed) The new HOB filter has been running on the main tank's sump since Monday and I'll leave it there as long as I can, or until I have 2-3 fish in the hospital tank and I need to move it over.

At that point I'll move the small filter back to the 10G and try to catch the mandarin. I can grab a ball of chaeto from the fuge and put it in there with him, and place an order for pods. Any tips on encouraging him to eat mysis or brine would be welcome. It's going to be a tough couple months for him.

I'm having flashbacks about how hard it was to catch everybody the first time without tearing up the tank and damaging any corals. :-( I'd be thrilled if anyone wants to share their success stories! I could use a little encouragement.

 

[sooju]

I forgot to ask - I put some live rock rubble that was in the sump of the main into the 26G to aid in getting filtration established. Is there any reason it shouldn't stay in there when I begin hypo treatment?

 

[CaptainAhab]

No but I would not put it back in the display. IMO, after your treatment take it out, dry it to base rock then consider adding it back it. That's only IF you don't treat the tank w/ copper while it's in there. If there is any question I'd toss it in the landfill/trash or your favorite flower bed

 

[sooju]

Ooh good point, I hadn't thought that far. I'll dry it out or toss it after treatment.

Tonight I caught the gramma and the dartfish so there are now three fish in the hospital tank. I still have to catch the chromis, cardinal, and a wrasse. And the mandarin, of course, although I don't think he'll be that hard. Did I just jinx myself?