Going to try hyposalinity

[clown-lover]

It's time I guess to try this method out. I really had hoped that I wasn't going to have to do this. After days and days (almost a full week I think) of not seeing any spots, I thought maybe my clown had fought it off. But today, he has even more spots than what I first saw days ago.
I tried Vitamin C and galic in the food, and in the water. I guess it must have helped a little because it took a while for this stage of ich to get here. But now that it's here, I need to do something about it.
I have read and read on this site and on other sites and I can't seem to find 'specific' details on how to lower the salinity. I know that it needs to be lowered but I don't know how much at a time I need to change.
I know it needs to be done within 48 hours...so...if I have a 10 gallon tank, how many times per day do I need to change the water? AND...what specific gravity does the water need to be at that I'm adding to the tank?
Last question. I've read on sites that I can use half regular tank water and half lowered specific gravity water (matching pH and temp to tank water) and add the fish to that. But how do I add the fish? I haven't read anywhere that I need to add it using the drip method...so does that mean I can just take him from one tank and place him right in the other tank? No drip method needed? Is this due to the pH and temp being the same as the DT?

Any and all other small details would be greatly appreciated.
I plan on buying a refractometer tomorrow. (btw, how do you pronounce that? Re-fract-TOE-meter OR Re-fract-OM-meter? lol
Thank you for any replies.

 

[flower]

I am far from an expert on hypo, I know you do need a refractometer because you have to be very precise.
I just have a question, I don’t mean to be condescending or insult you for asking. Was the infected clown in a QT or the display?
I ask because if it was in a QT…your just fine to pursue the hypo as planned. However, if your sick fish was in the main tank..then all of your fish are exposed and doing hypo on one fish won’t help.

 

[clown-lover]

He is the only fish I have. He was in the DT.
I'm OMW to get some PVC for the QT. Also, at noon, going to get a refractometer (that's when the LFS opens).
I think I'm going to try a 3 minute FW dip as well. He is pretty covered in spots...and though they aren't 'large' spots, there are a lot of them...that look like a white rash. He is 'twitching' quite a bit.

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Clown-Lover
http:///forum/post/3276932
He is the only fish I have. He was in the DT.
I'm OMW to get some PVC for the QT. Also, at noon, going to get a refractometer (that's when the LFS opens).
I think I'm going to try a 3 minute FW dip as well. He is pretty covered in spots...and though they aren't 'large' spots, there are a lot of them...that look like a white rash. He is 'twitching' quite a bit.

Okay, get your refractometer if you can so you can do hypo…If you have to order it, you may not have enough time to save him, so another ich treatment may be the route to take if that’s the case. Ich kills fish by infecting their gills and they can’t breathe.
Hypo is the best treatment according to Beth, and she really knows her stuff. However if it is going to take a week you can’t wait that long.
At least it is just one fish and by having a QT set up, in the future (6 to 8 weeks) you are good for the next fish that you buy.
Good vibes being sent your way…keep us posted.

 

[clown-lover]

Thank you so much for the good vibes!
I'm quite nervous about doing this...but I plan on starting as soon as I get home from the store. They open in 35 minutes! Thankfully they have refractometers...and I don't have to order one.
He looks like the 'rash' has flaked off a little, but he still looks white in areas. I've been watching his breathing...and he seems to be ok...not gasping for air yet...
I'm still not 100% sure if I should do the FW dip/bath. I really don't want to stress him out.

 

[clown-lover]

Oh, and if anyone can tell me quickly...in the next hour or so...
Do I add him to the QT with the specific gravity already lower than the DT? If so, do I drip accumulate him to it?

 

[flower]

Originally Posted by Clown-Lover
http:///forum/post/3276965
Oh, and if anyone can tell me quickly...in the next hour or so...
Do I add him to the QT with the specific gravity already lower than the DT? If so, do I drip accumulate him to it?

I have never done hypo, so wait until the very last minute to take any advice I offer...JUST IN CASE...I would acclimate the fish to the lower salinity of your QT and then continue to drop the SG according to the instructions Beth gave on doing hypo. This is assuming that the QT is not that much lower than the DT.

 

[mr. limpid]

Use your DT water to fill your QT then there is no need to accumulate. Then start from there lowering your salinity. You are correct it only takes 48 hr to lower, fish tolerate lowering better than rising, and I use a 10gal also for QT its about 1/2 gal of fresh water to lower .01 of a point. So where you start from subtract 1.09 from that and divide by two, that will be the points in a day, then I divided that by 16, worked out for me about every two hours I lowered it a point. Two points of interest temp. of fresh water and test you’re PH (you may need to add buffers) PH tends to fall during Hypo. You will also need to check your ammonia levels if this is new QT set up, if used a product called Amquel work for me to lower ammonia.

 

[srfisher17]

Scroll down this thread by Beth--it should give you what you need to hypo. Also on this thread: lots of info on ich. IMO. every hobbiest needs to understand the life cycle of this parasite; it will help you understand what's going on with your fish and why they can "get better", then get much worse. Also, be sure that your DT remains fishless for at least 4 weeks, or you'll have the bug back again. :https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/vb/s...ne-Health-Info

 

[clown-lover]

Thank you both. Mr. L., that's exactly the info I was looking for. Thank you. I'm about to start. Will keep this post going to keep track of things.
Can I use the baking soda method to adjust pH if needed?
Thank you again

 

[mr. limpid]

I never used but I read that it works, as long as you test for PH and keep it at 8.3 you should be good to go.

 

[clown-lover]

I'm sure this is a silly question....but being that this is supposed to take 48 hours...do I need to continue to lower salinity through the night? Or do I just leave it where it is when I go to sleep and continue in the morning?

 

[clown-lover]

HELP!
Just checked the pH. I knew it would probably drop...but now that it has, I don't want to bring it up too fast.
It is at 7.8. I am baking some baking soda in the oven right now to produce sodium carbonate to use to increase the pH.
How much of this should I add at one time so that it will slowly increase the pH?
Also, my specific gravity is at 1.019. I should be targeting 1.009, correct? Just making sure.
Thank you for any help!

 

[clown-lover]

Think things are moving too fast. Is this dangerous for my fish?
Started lowering sg at 2:00pm yesterday. It started at 1.025
By 9:30pm sg was 1.016. (which is what it still is this morning at 9:00am)
Here is the breakdown of time/sg level:
1:55pm - 1.025
2:00pm - 1.022
3:30pm - 1.020
5:30pm - 1.019
6:55pm - pH was 7.8. Used sodium carbonate to raise it. Raised it too fast (I think) to 8.2.
7:20pm - 1.017
9:30pm - 1.016
Any advise on how to proceed from here? Should I be stretching out the time or lowering the amount of non-salt water I add? If I continue like this today, I will be done with the lowering process in 24 to 28 hours total, rather than 48 hours.

My temp through this is around 75. I can't seem to get it higher than that with me adding and taking out water every 2 hours. But it is at least consistent. My ammonia is 0. My nitrates are between 0 and 5.
Thanks for the help.

 

[clown-lover]

Things went slower today. SG is now 1.012. It will stay there for the night. I'll finish the lowering tomorrow.
I'm still struggling to keep the pH in a steady range....that's a battle for sure...
Temp is better. Was a constant 78 today.
Fish is showing no signs of stress. Is eating well. No labored breathing.
Ich is only detectable in one spot on his body. The white 'rash' has all disappeared.

 

[clown-lover]

On a side note...
I am LOVING my refractometer!!!!

I have checked my water so many times during this and I just love how easy it is to read! Why did I not ever get one of these when I was in the hobby years ago! No more swing arm for me

Every time I check it, I go to the sliding glass door to get sunlight, and my husband says "quit spying on the neighbors!" hehe

 

[pirates]

Ok do not lower your salt then 1.012 and you need your temp 82 F in the qt ok then get some API PIMAFIX, MELAFIX, Copper treatment if you do not whant to use copper then use ORGANI-CURE AND READ THE DIRECTIONS when you get the fish back and has no ick go three day to a week then i would do a week if it was me then when ready to put the fish back in the dt acclimat the fish very very slow do the drip good luck

 

[clown-lover]

I actually didn't plan on using Copper. Was planning on just doing hypo

 

[jstdv8]

you can't use copper and hypo at the same time. Pirates, what are you saying?
He's lowered his salinity on purpose to kill the ich cycle.
CL, sounds like everything is going good. good to have a refractometer for the hypo.
So if im reading the directions correctly you need to get the ich to not show any more visable signs and then continue the hypo treatment for 4 weeks after you see the last sign of ich.
I do know from talking to joe and some others that the hypo works be not allowing the cells to divide when in the tomont stage. effectively killing the cycle.
good luck,
Im doing copper treatment right now, today is day #9 of 30. fish are looking great. eating good, much better than I was expecting when dosing somehting that could potentially kill them. So far so good.

 

[clown-lover]

Thanks for the encouragement J.
Good luck with the copper treatment. As nervous as I was about trying to do hypo, I was even more nervous about attempting to do copper.