rnsmith
11/05/2002, 04:59 PM
Dr. Ron,
My fourth post and first questions on this forum. Sorry it is a long one, but it is the only way I can cover the material.
The main questions:
1. What proactive/prophylactic steps can I take to reduce the possibility that old fish in a "clean tank" moving to a new tank will not get ich – from the new tank?
2. Would initial filtering of the new tank with diatom filter be an effective proactive treatment of the new tank?
3. I have read many of the treads and your experiences related to copper adsorbsion and decon. I don’t think I have seen your specific response to those who propose and have observed that if a polyfilter is used long term (6-9 mos or more) the occasional occurrence of free copper will be removed by the polyfilter and eventually all the copper will be removed. What is your position as to their proposal?
4. Other questions are in context. Your indugence would be appreciated.
The background:
Ten years ago I started a 37 gal “fish only with some live rock� tank with a maroon clown. The second introduction was a yellow tang, which promptly either brought in or contracted white and then black ich, spreading it to the clown. I used a cheated copper/formalin commercial medication in the tank – advertised as being ‘removable.’ This seemed to have little or no effect. What did seem to work was raising the temp from 76 to about 85 and running a diatom filter full time – thinking that the higher temp would speed up the ich’s life cycle and the diatom filter would catch the ich in the swimming stage. Maybe it was coincidence or my imagination, but it was only after the temp/diatom filter implementation that the ich cleared up – forever. I have never since (9 years) had a case of ich in the tank, no matter how I let conditions deteriorate. (And, things have gotten pretty bad from time to time.) Could it be the occasional release of residual fixed copper that has poisoned the tank for ich? Inverts, snails, worms, misc critters seem to be ok.
The initial two fish are still with me in the same tank and in good shape. Since that time I have added a Pacific Blue Tang and Flame Hawk, as well as hermits, snails, feather dusters, urchins, and mushrooms. All are looking good, but definitely ready to move to larger digs.
Thus, I have setup a 72 bowfront in which I have installed an ESV fine sand bed, 70 lbs of GV live rock, a 17 gal sump, 8-2 Euro-reef skimmer, and 330 watts of CF light. Eventually I will have an external 7 gal refugium with DSB and vegetation. I am planning on implementing the Dr. Ron DSB/Nutrient export model as closely as I can.
Currently the tank is cycling nicely with 4+� of ESV and live rock. I plan to change half the water and introduce the 5th inch of GV “LIVE� sand and critter kits as soon as nitrites drop below lethal levels. I will then give time for the critters to settle in and multiply before transferring the fish. And, at some point (when my wife is not looking) setup a side tank for the refugium. Did I get it right?
Now, as to my ich paranoia (We will leave the little voices that speak to me for another time): These fish have been with me so long that the last thing in the world I want is for them to get stressed out and contract ich (which I understand is always present) from all the imported life in the new tank. Would initial lengthy filtering of the new tank with diatom filter be an effective proactive treatment of the new tank?
If in your opinion copper is still a consideration (I have used polyfilters in this tank for extended periods), what could/should I do about moving the mushrooms and feather dusters that are attached to rocks in the old tank??
Many thanks for your patients, contributions and responses!
Richard
My fourth post and first questions on this forum. Sorry it is a long one, but it is the only way I can cover the material.
The main questions:
1. What proactive/prophylactic steps can I take to reduce the possibility that old fish in a "clean tank" moving to a new tank will not get ich – from the new tank?
2. Would initial filtering of the new tank with diatom filter be an effective proactive treatment of the new tank?
3. I have read many of the treads and your experiences related to copper adsorbsion and decon. I don’t think I have seen your specific response to those who propose and have observed that if a polyfilter is used long term (6-9 mos or more) the occasional occurrence of free copper will be removed by the polyfilter and eventually all the copper will be removed. What is your position as to their proposal?
4. Other questions are in context. Your indugence would be appreciated.
The background:
Ten years ago I started a 37 gal “fish only with some live rock� tank with a maroon clown. The second introduction was a yellow tang, which promptly either brought in or contracted white and then black ich, spreading it to the clown. I used a cheated copper/formalin commercial medication in the tank – advertised as being ‘removable.’ This seemed to have little or no effect. What did seem to work was raising the temp from 76 to about 85 and running a diatom filter full time – thinking that the higher temp would speed up the ich’s life cycle and the diatom filter would catch the ich in the swimming stage. Maybe it was coincidence or my imagination, but it was only after the temp/diatom filter implementation that the ich cleared up – forever. I have never since (9 years) had a case of ich in the tank, no matter how I let conditions deteriorate. (And, things have gotten pretty bad from time to time.) Could it be the occasional release of residual fixed copper that has poisoned the tank for ich? Inverts, snails, worms, misc critters seem to be ok.
The initial two fish are still with me in the same tank and in good shape. Since that time I have added a Pacific Blue Tang and Flame Hawk, as well as hermits, snails, feather dusters, urchins, and mushrooms. All are looking good, but definitely ready to move to larger digs.
Thus, I have setup a 72 bowfront in which I have installed an ESV fine sand bed, 70 lbs of GV live rock, a 17 gal sump, 8-2 Euro-reef skimmer, and 330 watts of CF light. Eventually I will have an external 7 gal refugium with DSB and vegetation. I am planning on implementing the Dr. Ron DSB/Nutrient export model as closely as I can.
Currently the tank is cycling nicely with 4+� of ESV and live rock. I plan to change half the water and introduce the 5th inch of GV “LIVE� sand and critter kits as soon as nitrites drop below lethal levels. I will then give time for the critters to settle in and multiply before transferring the fish. And, at some point (when my wife is not looking) setup a side tank for the refugium. Did I get it right?
Now, as to my ich paranoia (We will leave the little voices that speak to me for another time): These fish have been with me so long that the last thing in the world I want is for them to get stressed out and contract ich (which I understand is always present) from all the imported life in the new tank. Would initial lengthy filtering of the new tank with diatom filter be an effective proactive treatment of the new tank?
If in your opinion copper is still a consideration (I have used polyfilters in this tank for extended periods), what could/should I do about moving the mushrooms and feather dusters that are attached to rocks in the old tank??
Many thanks for your patients, contributions and responses!
Richard