Treating a FOWLR w/ copper?

[Casino]

I have a 72 bow FOWLR. I recently got an ick outbreak due to stray voltage from a heater, its the only thing thats pointing to my fishes stressing. I have that fixed im sure since I borrowed a tunze voltage checker.

Now, I know that hypo and copper are the prefered methods of treating ick. I have been doing the hypo (1.009) but its not working. I have lost 3 fish and the otheres arent looking all that good. I know that cooper will leave my tank invertless which is fine since all I have for inverts are 2 fighting conches and those I can transfer to my reef tank. Now, I know copper will always be in the tank and the LR will always have copper in it, if I was to treat the FOWLR w/ copper, will my LR ever get populated with life, or will it just be dead forever? What copper treatment do you guys recomend?

I cannot take the fishes out to treat w/ copper in a seperate tank, they are to big and I would need a 55 gallon minimum and I think it would stress them out even more to take them to a place where they arent familier with.

Thank you for any advise you can lend me.

[SAT]

The great majority of cases where hypo "isn't working" result either from improper application (i.e., the salinity isn't what you think it is), lack of patience, or misdiagnosis. So:
1. What method are you using to test the salinity? If it's a hydrometer, you should recheck using a refractometer. Recheck regularly to be sure the salinity isn't drifting outside the effective range due to evaporation.
2. How long have you been waiting? Hyposalinity often takes over a week to show results. You need to wait at least six weeks to have confidence the parasites are all gone.
3. You do see distinct salt-like white spots, right? The spots can be quite small, but no larger than about 1/2 mm across.

To answer your specific question, the rock will absorb copper from the water (affecting the treatment concentration) and slowly release it back into the water after treatment is completed. It may be a long time before it's safe to introduce copper-sensitive inverts. As for the rock being covered with interesting life... the hyposalinity will have already killed most of the more interesting stuff, so you'll need to restock if you want that sort of growth.

If you choose to use copper, one of the less toxic flavors such as Cupramine or CopperSafe are the best choices. Make sure you have a copper test kit that works with that flavor of copper, and use it daily. If you don't use a test kit you should assume the effective dosage is wrong, either doing nothing useful or poisoning the fish.

[Casino]

Than you for answering so quickly.

I am using a daily calibrated with DI water and salifert calibration solution refractometer. I hardly evaporate water since all I have are the stock all-glass NO lights and I also have a mark on the back of the tank as to where I need the water level to be.

The tank has been in hypo for around 4 weeks. The small white spots come and go, with the spots returning greater in numbers and taking a life with every return.

Yes. I see the small spots. I also see cloudy eyes that cloud and then clear and cloud up again.

I have some kick ick that is suppose to be 50/50 chance of working, ive seen the post regarding its affectiveness. I want to give it a try before using the cooper since I would like to introduce some of the weeds like xenia and GSP that I have in my reef, and if I do dose with copper, I know I can kiss that thought goodbye. If push comes to shove, I will have to dose the copper and hope they get better, I just dont know how long I should wait before dosing the copper, I already think I have waited to long.

[SAT]

Well, it does sound like you were administering it correctly. You may have run into a resistant strain.

Be careful mixing copper with hyposalinity. Copper is much more toxic in freshwater than in salt.

[Casino]

Yeah. I guess thats what must be. I will bring the salt up again and give the kick ick a try. Then, if I run into the same problems as others, I will just nuke the tank with the copper, but I really hope it dosent come to that.