Reef nutrition

My 90 gallon tank: video update! (with narration this time!)

goldielocke76 said:
Ok, some quick QT questions:

I noticed both articles gimmito and aqua-nut linked both recommend putting the sponge filter in the tank to cycle the filter. I was under the impression that you break the QT tank down after treatment, so can't you do partial water changes every 2-3 days and avoid a filter? Any pros or cons in doing a QT tank this way?
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Some hobbyists leave a QT system running at all times by adding ammonia to feed the bacteria in the sponge filter. Most though break it down and keep a sponge filter in the sump running at all times. Doing partial water changes is not sufficient.

goldielocke76 said:
Any recommendations for places to put the QT tank? Does it do better in an out of the way environment that doesn't get a lot of traffic? (I was thinking on my dresser in the bed room, really kind of limited to where I put it, either that, or on the table in the kitchen)
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Many hobbyist cover three sides of the tank except for the front and put it in a low traffic area. You want the fish to get use to you and the foods you provide it.


goldielocke76 said:
Any suggestions for an ideal temperature? Or does it depend on treatment?
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76-80 is the norm. If crytocaryon breaks, some hobbyists turn up the temp to 80-82 to possibly speed up the life cycle.

goldielocke76 said:
And last but not least, where is a good place to buy Maracyn 2? So far, I have Cupramine, Melafix for SW, Prazipro, and Metronidazole. Any other recommendations for meds?
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Here's a link to Kelly Jedlicki's forum on Marine Depot on stocking a medicine cabinet.

http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic42433.aspx

Thanks guys![/quote]
 
Thank you guys!

Well, looks like I will be keeping the tank up and running. Made some room on the book shelf (was a tv stand). It's a low traffic area and pretty much out of the way. We are only ever in there at night really. Just have to add the water, foam filter and pvc and I should be good.

Slowly getting there. Slowly, but surely :)
 
gimmito said:
Don't forget air pump and tubing to drive the foam filter.
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Thank you! I have that already, just have to find the air pump.

How do you treat a fish for SW ich? Anyone have any links to read or suggestions? I think one of my clown gobies have it =(
 
Here's a link to Lee Birch's Marine Fish Forums on Reef Frontiers. Read up as much as you can regarding fish care, medicine, QT, acclimation, etc.

http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f15/
 
Ok so the only way I was able to get that little fish out of the tank was to take the piece of dead coral he was on and stick that in the QT tank. Do I wait to treat to get the rock out, or do I treat with it in?
 
gimmito said:
Put a PVC pipe in there and take out the dead coral...treat as necessary. Any pics of the little guy ?
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I'll try to get a few tonight. With the dead coral, the goby is hiding in Pocillipora sp. and he's so down in there towards the base and I can't get him out. Checked on him this morning too, and he's still wedged in there. There are pieces of PVC in there as well, but I have yet to see him leave the coral and go to the PVC.
 
Ok, so a little update since I have been so busy lately.

I am stressing out super bad, because now my other 3 clown gobies have ich as well as my firefish. I only have a 10 gallon QT and I am not sure how to treat everyone, and I know that there is a suggested treatment of letting the tank sit fallow for 6 weeks or so.

I am completely out of my depth. I am not sure what to do, or what's caused the ich, only think I can think of was a 2 degree temperature change when it got hot out, and the tank went from 80 to 82 degrees. Other than that, water changes get done, water params are stable and I am really frustrated. When I was growing up always meant eventual death for the fish. But now I know better, and can treat FW, but have never had to treat SW before.

I have some rid-ich plus that I have been putting in the QT tank, and I dipped the gobies in FW for the short 5 second walk from the main tank to the QT tank.

Can I take the rock out and treat the tank with rid-ich plus? I am trying to avoid copper and use it as a last ditch effort. Well, everything I have read said to use it as a last effort, so I am trying to do it that way.

Any suggestions? Sorry about not having pics. Been very busy with work and school over the last few days, playing catch up after this last weekend =( I will post some tonight, I promise.
 
Sorry to hear about your ich problems Brandie. You might want to try the tank transfer method Houser tried to cure his ich problem. All you need is two 5 gallon buckets, heaters, and either a small powerheads or airstones. Read up on Houser thread how often to move the animals so you can break the ich cycle.
 
Ich isn't too bad if you have them in a qt system. use the meds I gave you ( or some other copper based meds) and treat them all at once. if the fish are eating you have a good chance to kill the ich..... add a lid since the firefish do jump
 
Apon said:
Ich isn't too bad if you have them in a qt system. use the meds I gave you ( or some other copper based meds) and treat them all at once. if the fish are eating you have a good chance to kill the ich..... add a lid since the firefish do jump
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That's a lot of fish in a 10 gallon though isn't it? A starry blenny, 5 clown gobies, an orange spotted goby, and firefish? So far, the orange spot seems happy as a clam, but the blenny has been grouchy lately. Everyone except for one goby is still eating.

Can you put all of those fish in the 10 gallon? I didn't think so, and that's why I haven't put them all in there as of yet. I wasn't sure.

If I put the blenny in the QT, what will he eat if there is no algae? And if the orange spot goes in there, do I need substrate, because he's a sand sifter?

I think I may go out and get a 20 gallon in addition to the 10. Heck if I know where I will put it at this point, but I refuse to lose my fish.
 
gimmito said:
Sorry to hear about your ich problems Brandie. You might want to try the tank transfer method Houser tried to cure his ich problem. All you need is two 5 gallon buckets, heaters, and either a small powerheads or airstones. Read up on Houser thread how often to move the animals so you can break the ich cycle.
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+1
I would keep it simple without any med or increase in temp. Key is, if they eat, feed alot. Ich on those fish will go away with time.
 
8 fish...yes that is a lot I thout it was just 3. borrow from Mike or try buckets I guess. you need to treat them all at once to make sure they are all clean when they come back together otherwise you are back at sqaure one. how did you get it in the first place....did you qt new fish before adding them together?
 
Apon said:
8 fish...yes that is a lot I thout it was just 3. borrow from Mike or try buckets I guess. you need to treat them all at once to make sure they are all clean when they come back together otherwise you are back at sqaure one. how did you get it in the first place....did you qt new fish before adding them together?
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They have all been together for a while now. No, I haven't QT'd before because I didn't understand the importance of it, but I plan on doing it from now on, because now I know. I am not sure what caused the stress, other than a temperature swing here about a week ago or so. The water gets changed weekly, it usually stays around 80 degrees, and they all eat very well. The only one that stopped eating was the one that got ich first, but in the QT tank, he's still alive, his color is better, and he's moving around a lot more.

Will definitely go look for beta glucan. I also bought some cyclopeze and NLS small pellets; I was going to start trying to swap them over from a frozen diet to a mixture, but then the ich came up.

If it doesn't hurt to feed them more, then feed them more I shall. They get a mixture of plankton, brine, mysis and emerald entree (just in case, for the blenny) all soaked in Selcon and Vita chem. I'll keep you guys updated. We have been doing some mods to the hood this weekend. Getting everything ready to put together. Hopefully I will be able to get together with Mike sometime this week, and get the plumbing squared away so I can get water into the tank.

Also, if the two black clown gobies are eating, should I take them out of QT and back into the main? They are eating just fine.
 
Sending you some good luck; I knew about ich when I started out and still decided to play the lotto (bought my first 4 fish at once); didn't work out so well ended up having to set up a qt lost the blenny and tang after 3 months; Now I qt new fish for a min of 2 weeks but still hv a feeling I should be doing it for allot longer if I don't want to be bit again. Also the main tank must go fish-less for 6-9+ weeks with 9 weeks the only sure bet.

Here is the guide I used;
http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/fish-diseases-treatments/52236-curing-fish-marine-ich.html

I actually lost the blenny and tang due a bacterial infection after using copper; I would get your fish in qt and do lots of water changes; not treat with medication till you get them as fat as you can if they are still eating (fish might even be able to fight it off); then do hypo or copper. I'm no expert just giving you some insight of how it went for me.
 
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