Redoing my tank. Need suggestions

FishNutzBoi · #1 08/29/2006, 06:32 PM

I have lots of reasons to redo my tank. One that actually makes me consider doing it is my sixline wrasse. Today I witnessed my 2nd cleaner shrimp being killed by the wrasse. I want to get it out, which means i'll have to tear down my tank.

For awhile, my tank has been having ick but none of my fish were heavily infected; just a spot here and there. Now that I'm going to tear down the tank, Im planning to get rid of ick once and for all.

So, here's my plan:
Im gonna drain out 12G of water into 2 5G buckets and 2 small containers. The fish will go into a 5G bucket and some of the removed LR + corals will go into the other bucket and 1 container. The anemone will be in a seperate container. I'll bring the fish to a trusty LFS as soon as Im done taking them all out. Then i'll let my tank be fishless for awhile before taking the fish back.

Questions:
1. Any flaw in my plan?
2. Any suggestions how to improve my plan?
3. How long do I need to leave my tank fishless to rid ick?

TIA

Mishap · #2 08/29/2006, 06:50 PM

Here's an article by Steven Pro on ich.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

Everything you could possibly wish to know about ich and possible treatments.

FishNutzBoi · #3 08/29/2006, 09:02 PM

I skimmed thru both links. He didn't mention how long does a tank have to be fishless to rid ick

Steven Pro · #4 08/30/2006, 11:13 AM

To be on the safe side, I would leave the display fishless for 6-8 weeks.

As to a flaw in your plan, I would not trust the LFS. I would quarantine and treat the fish myself.

TKByrnes · #5 08/30/2006, 11:27 AM

i agree with steven. get a qt tank and treat the fish for ich. let your tank stay empty ( no fish ) for atleast 1 month. thats what i did and the ich is gone. 3 weeks with fish in it and no signs of ich at all!

falco · #6 08/30/2006, 11:28 AM

I just went thru this process. After several months of trying to fight ich I tore my entire tank apart. What I did was set up a 55gal quarantine to keep my fish from my 180. I took 2 30 gal rubbermaid containers and took out as much rock as I could placing it in the containers submerged with tank water. Then I took 4 5gal buckets half filled with tank water and put the fish in the buckets and acclimated them into QT. Now you can put all of the rock and corals back into the tank. I think pulling out all of the rock and corals that are attached to the rock less stressful for everyone, including myself. HTH