First time hypo...

dburr

Active Member
OK
This is my first time doing hyposalinity. This is what I've done so far and maybe someone can tell me how i'm doing.
I used water from my main tank and put it in a 55 gallon.
salanity was at 1.025, KH at 80 ppm and Ph is 8.3. Temp. is at 79 degs. (I know KH is low, that's a battle in my tank)
I am using my whisper 3 filter and my prizm skimmer for filtration.
Last night I set it all up and threw in the fish. I add 1/2 gallon of water to start the prizm.
I made up some DI water with Kent superbuffer dKH (1/2 tsp per 3 gallons) The PH of the DI water was 8.6+ and the KH was 100 ppm.
This morning I changed out 1-1/2 gallons of water which brought my salanity to 1.0235.
This afternoon I did 1-1/2 gallons again and my salanity is 1.0225.
Tonight I will do 3 gallons and it should
bring it to 1.0205 in theory.
I think I need to change more water or do it more often to bring me down to 1.009 faster right?
So far fish are doing great. Any comments, should I be doing anything else or different?
DBurr
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Stop all efforts to raise KH. If the tank goes into a cycle, and ammonia develops, you could be in trouble. Ammonia becomes more toxic with higher pH.
 

dburr

Active Member
OK thanks Beth.
I thought I should Raise the PH in the DI water before I add it to the tank.
Would the tank cycle? It only has PVC and wisper cartridges?
Day 2- 5 gallon water change in morning, salanity dropped to 1.0195.
This afternooon 5 gallon water change, salanity is 1.0175.
Skimmer stopped working, I realize now because of the salanity shift.
This will take longer than 48 hours at this rate. Tonight I will do 6 gallons.
How will I know my main tank is free of ich after 3-4 weeks?
Their was a thread I read that said It could stay dormant for 3 months, is their any truth to that statment?
DBurr
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
If you complete hyposalinity for the full course, by the time you are ready to return fish to the main tank, it should be fine.
 

dburr

Active Member
Ok, i'm at 1.012 and my PH is 7.8.
I add more buffer to raise it alittle when I did my last water change.
Now I at 1.010, my fish seem to be breathing heavy. I will take a water sample to the LFS tommorow and see if they get the same #. Tonight I will have to watch them.
DBurr
 

dburr

Active Member
I checked the salanity with the LFS it si 1.010.
PH went back to 8.6 but fish seem to be ok.
ammonia is 0 and I did not check nitrite.
Alk is 70 ppm. I don't think I should be concerned with that, right?
I will do a 3 gallon water change tomorrow and pick up any scum on the bottom of the tank.
Thank you Beth for the support, and I hope this thread helps other people too. I did have salt about 9 years ago and managed to kill everything I put in the tank I put in within weeks. So I was alittle nervous about doing the hypo.
4 weeks to go, I will keep posting the progress on this thread.
Thanks again, Dburr
:cool:
 

dburr

Active Member
Everything going good.
No ammonia, ph a little low, but holding.
I did a 3 gallon water change tonight.
I have no signs of ich since I put them in their.
So, I guess 3 more weeks, right?
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Yes, I have 3 small fish in QT now getting hypoed. They will be done on Friday, and then a few days more getting the SG up, then, in the tank they go!
 

dburr

Active Member
Every day i will feed somthing different. All are eating except my royal gramma. Unless he is eating after lights out.
Yesterday I put in a few pods for him, I think he ate them.
Thanks.
 

dburr

Active Member
I think the natives are getting restless.
My yellow tang is getting alittle bossy with the tank mates. I fear he will be using that tail soon.
The royal gramma seems to be loosing some scales, and loss of color. I still don't know if he is eating. I don't know if he will suvive another week.
My hypo has been 18 days tonight. Should I start raising the SG now or wait the full 21 days? Know one has shown signs of ick since life in the main display. That was on 10-05-2002. I took them out of the main display on 10-07-2002 and I was at SG 1.009 on 10-10-2002.
What do ya think?
DBurr
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
You must keep them in hypo for a full 3 wks after all signs of ich are gone.
Keep the tank lights off most of the time. Perhaps that will help reduce stress. Otherwise, you'll have to separate the tang from the others.
 

dburr

Active Member
Lights are on maybe 3-4 hours a day except weekends, I leave them on maybe 8 hours.
I will go 3 more days and cross my fingers. Thanks.:rolleyes: :cool:
 

dburr

Active Member
Thursday was three weeks for hypo. I started to raise the SG.
It's going about 2 points a day in three water changes per day.
Everyone looks good except the royal gramma. He lost some scales and he has ripped fins. I wondering if could be the bristle tooth tang. I never see him going after any other fish, but maybe he feels alittle cramped. What should I do with the RG? Just put him in the main display or isolate him until he looks better?:confused:
It'll be prolly another 3 days until the fish go home.:cool:
 
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