An Easy and Cheap Way to Cure Ich (or ick) - My Adventure with 'Ich-Attack' by Kordon

ntracy

ntracy

Member
I see.... so I'll need a skimmer that relatively matches the power output of the return pump
But I've seen a lot of pics of tanks that just have little suction cup fan-type pumps all over their tank, just circulating the water... they don't help with the sump's in/out but they do provide good flow inside the tank...
So here's my question: if I just wanted to get a really super high flow sump return pump and route ALL my circulation through it, wouldn't it be better than like 6 fans scattered all over and a slow-moving sump return pump?
OR get two good pumps, route one as the sump return, and put the other in the back somewhere to send flow through the pipes in the sand to the front.
I just reeeeally want a clean setup. I don't want to see anything but the fish and keep exposed equipment to a minimum. I found a pic where a guy used two of those little fan things, one in each coner of this pic... I hate the way it looks
 
ntracy

ntracy

Member
Originally Posted by gmann1139
http:///forum/post/2664141
Sep, I've always been impressed with your ability to deal with posters that are just short of belligerent with you. The small circle of people on here that deal with the difficult issues (and I'm not going to list them b/c I'll forget someone and feel guilty) deserve a thousand pats on the back for the help you've given.
There are many fish that are alive because of you, many hobbyists that would be out of the hobby if not for you, and many 'gimmick' salesmen that are out of business because of you.
Keep up the good work!
I think someone might have a bit of a crush on you sep!
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
What you are seeing in pics are the return. The tanks are either drilled or have an over flow. The water goes into the sump and/or refugium, then is pumped back up into the tank. People use other power heads in the tank as well, if need be.
LOL common, Sep is a lovable person

I have been around here for awhile. Those appreciations are so sweet. I enjoy getting those. They don't happen often.
 
ntracy

ntracy

Member
Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2664688
What you are seeing in pics are the return. The tanks are either drilled or have an over flow. The water goes into the sump and/or refugium, then is pumped back up into the tank. People use other power heads in the tank as well, if need be.
LOL common, Sep is a lovable person

I have been around here for awhile. Those appreciations are so sweet. I enjoy getting those. They don't happen often.
This is what I'm talking about. They are solely for circulation... the water goes in one side and comes right back out the other. It's called a circulation pump. I want to figure out a more clever way to do it than just putting these up all over the tank (like some people do, as I've seen on the forums)
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by ntracy
http:///forum/post/2664693
This is what I'm talking about. They are solely for circulation... the water goes in one side and comes right back out the other. It's called a circulation pump. I want to figure out a more clever way to do it than just putting these up all over the tank (like some people do, as I've seen on the forums)
Those are just for added circulation. You do not have to have a bunch of those in your tank. In my 55 I have a MJ 1200 and a MJ 900. They point in opposite directions. I use HOB fiters. One is for a 60 gallon and the other is for a 40 gallon.
 
ntracy

ntracy

Member
I lowered the salinity to 1.009 last night. It's on the nose. In fact, the water line is a little low because I tested it after every liter of water added. Now I need to mix some 1.009 water for changes.
My clown goby died this morning... Watch the suggested language Please
He wasn't looking good yesterday and the day before. everyone else is ok.
So here's what's left, and what appears to be their health from a scale of 1-5:
Copperban Butterfly 5/5
Purple Pseudo Chromis 4/5 (sixline took a chunk out of him last week, he's still healing)
3 Green Chromis 5/5
Sixline Wrasse 4/5 (he has some discoloration-not brooklynella looking though)
Baby Hippo tang 5/5
Adolescent Hippo Tang 4/5 (I think he's a yellow-bellied hippo... he's getting a beautiful yellow hue on his stomach)
Black Clown 5/5
A part of me is glad, however, that I now can properly setup my tanks. I've been moving my LR around a lot because I just can't seem to make it look right. I've now learned (because of SWF) that you put the rock in first, then the water and sand... and I think this is what I'm going to do for both of my tanks while the fish are in QT. My rock work is horrible, and could even use some extra LR. I also need to replace all of the sand in my 14... it's riddled with dirt/etc from the previous owner doing a terrible job at keeping up with the maintenance. The 14 needs an overhaul altogether. anyway, I'll get that going, then do my RSM right.
 
ntracy

ntracy

Member
HELP! I'm worried about the fish in QT. They all look like they've been strickened with a mild brooklynella (they've got a ghostly looking film on them)... is this supposed to be how they look when the salinity gets to 1.009?
They're swimming around and ate voraciously this morning, so they seem to be healthy, but I'm still very concerned about the way they look. I can still see a spot or two of ich on some of the fish.
Is this normal???
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
I dont have an answer for you but if you post this in the disease and treatment forum rather than embeded in another thread you will get more help.
Mike
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by ntracy
http:///forum/post/2666690
HELP! I'm worried about the fish in QT. They all look like they've been strickened with a mild brooklynella (they've got a ghostly looking film on them)... is this supposed to be how they look when the salinity gets to 1.009?
They're swimming around and ate voraciously this morning, so they seem to be healthy, but I'm still very concerned about the way they look. I can still see a spot or two of ich on some of the fish.
Is this normal???
No that is not normal. What are the water readings on the QT? Every fish has a film on it?
 
ntracy

ntracy

Member
Yes, I also noticed the walls have a weird film on them too (not algae). I have a magnetic sponge in there and it kind of fragments off.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by ntracy
http:///forum/post/2667652
Yes, I also noticed the walls have a weird film on them too (not algae). I have a magnetic sponge in there and it kind of fragments off.
Is the stuff on the walls white as well? How are the fish eating and acting? Did you use RO to bring the SG down?
 
ntracy

ntracy

Member
I used RO, it's not white, but more misty looking. The fish are swimming fine, and eat very well. Everyone's active and swimming with direction instead of wandering. The only thing that concerns me is the appearance... but if the fish all seem happy and are eating well, then I guess I don't have much to worry about
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by ntracy
http:///forum/post/2667676
I used RO, it's not white, but more misty looking. The fish are swimming fine, and eat very well. Everyone's active and swimming with direction instead of wandering. The only thing that concerns me is the appearance... but if the fish all seem happy and are eating well, then I guess I don't have much to worry about
There should not be a film on the fish though. What are the readings for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, PH, and temp?
 
R

rcreations

Guest
I've been reading this topic and I have to say one thing... In the 6 months that I've been on these forums, I've seen a lot more fish killed by QTs than actual ich. Don't get me wrong, QTs are great to use but most people don't have the means to set them up properly. Meaning a big enough QT to house their fish for the 6 weeks needed to cure ich on the fish and the DT, not to mention inadequate filtration.
I think there are other cures for ich that allow you to leave your fish in the DT. I've had a reef tank set up for 6 months where I added fish from different sources, never once QT any of them, never QT corals or inverts. Once in a while I'd see 1 or 2 white dots on a new fish. I treated the tank with garlic plus used the help of a cleaner shrimp. The garlic first of all builds immunity in the fish, meaning they can fight off ich. The other thing garlic does is it sort of "disorients" the swimming ich so it doesn't find a host to attach to and thus die off. Using this method I never lost a single fish and to this day I have not seen a single white dot on my fish in at least 3 months.
Others may disagree with me, but this worked for me and for others as well. Proof is seeing it with my own eyes. Anyway, I thought I'd share my experience with ich and maybe give you some research material. Do a Google search for garlic cure for ich and see for yourself.
 
R

rcreations

Guest
One more thing I wanted to add is to be careful not to overcrowd your tank or get fish too big or inappropriate for your size tank. Overcrowding stresses out fish and lowers their immunity, making them easy targets for ich and other type of diseases.
 
kellenr

kellenr

Member
Wow, this is officially the never-ending thread. I remember the day this was posted, ...now here we are, 213 posts later.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by RCreations
http:///forum/post/2668146
One more thing I wanted to add is to be careful not to overcrowd your tank or get fish too big or inappropriate for your size tank. Overcrowding stresses out fish and lowers their immunity, making them easy targets for ich and other type of diseases.
Bingo

It isn't the use of a QT, it is how appropriately set up it is for the fish going into it.
 
T

tizzo

Guest
Originally Posted by RCreations
http:///forum/post/2668139
I think there are other cures for ich that allow you to leave your fish in the DT. .
Not "cures" but treatments. You are correct, but we asked him earlier if he wanted to go that route. If he wants to "control" it in his DT or eliminate and prevent it.
Your garlic advice is a means of control.
Everything you wrote is correct, but if he is trying to eliminate it altogether, which is what he said above, then garlic is not the answer.

Quarantine is supposed to be as comfortable as your DT. So if you have seen more fish killed in QT, it's because you are misidentifying a QT. As many hobbiests do. Just because you have a glass cage filled with saltwater, added a heater and have ph, doesn't constitute a QT. It constitutes a tank of heated moving water.
A proper QT is fully cycled, predator free, size appropriate, NOT crowded, not bright, stressfree, and optimum conditions at all times.
If a fish dies in an environment like that, then it's not the QT that killed the fish.

Mine for example, (and I know that most people cannot have what I have, but they also don't have to QT multiple tangs), the only difference between my QT and my DT is the LR and sand. They are both 6 feet long, both 82 degrees, both have sg of 1.025, both have hiding spaces, both have a protein skimmer.
There is no reason in the world that my fish will die "because" of QT.
I know I'm rambling, but so many people wanna take the easiest route. If you don't care that ick is in your DT, then that's fine, you do what you have to to control it.
But if you can prevent it from the start then IMO, there is no reason short of laziness or impatience, not to.
If a person says...
I can't afford it.
I don't know how.
I don't have space.
It's to much work.
Are a bunch of reason why this is not the right hobby for them.
Heck, I love horses! But for the exact reasons above, I don't get one. I would love to, but I would be making an irresponsible move. Same with fish.
 
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