Help with Game Plan-

teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
I am having so much trouble with my main tank-long story short, a month or so ago, I nearly wiped out everything trying to get rid of flat worms. Lost my female horse, jaw fish, shrimp, and scooter.
Well, i still have flat worms. And alot of algea.
I have one male, and a mandrin in the tank, along with a basket with 5 of my biggest 10 week old babies. (they are eatting whole mysis)
I need to clean up this tank for good, but every time I try and do something like this, I always seem to loose something and I dont want to loose my male.
I have a 20 gal with about 35-- 8 and 10 week old babies
I have an empty 10 gal.
I have some empty 18 gal tubs
I am thinking -- move the babies to the 10 gal
Clean and fill the 20 gal with tank water-Add the rocks that have corals (I am going to dip all rocks and corals) Add my male, the babies and the mandrin-any snails I find and the shrimp.
then i can fresh water dip all rocks (taking everything out of the tank) (its a 58 gal tank)
I want to vacume the sand good also.
Is there any thing else I should do. I really hate flat worms and algea and it is making my tank really ugly.
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
Well, the mandrin was supose to help, but they are multipying rapidly again and wrasses are not compatible. .
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
I prob couldnt catch it after lol.
Someone on another site told me to try covering the tank with newspaper so no light gets in, except for a small whole to shine a light in. that the worms would go to the light and I could syphone them there. I may try that, its just they are everywhere again.
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
I think I will this weekend and see what happens. I really dont want to bother this tank anymore. My poor boy is very lonely right now. I think he knows there are babies in there but cant really see them lol
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Also, just checking, but did you read the article about Flatworms on Melev's site?
http://www.melevsreef.com/flatworms.html
Might be of interest. The siphon tool looks kind of interesting.
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
Hey, No I didnt do anything this weekend. I was going to clean my salt mixing bucket and pours viniger in and have it running. Before I could get back to it, I tripped and fell. I kinda banged my leg up, and my hip, so I didnt feel like lifting water around. lol. I feel better, but sore. I am going to try the covering the tank and syphoning before anything else. I have a basket with bigger babies in the tank so I dont want to do too much. I may move them and the male to a holding tank for a few days though.
T
 
novahobbies

novahobbies

Well-Known Member
Awww, I'm so sorry to hear that! Glad you didn't get seriously hurt!
As a certified Klutz, I can totally empathize. ;-)
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

What a nightmare. I have nothing to offer but sympathy. I would do it...remove the seahorse and fish then nuke the tank with flatworm treatment. Like you said, and dip the corals. Even if you siphon them up, if one remains you will be infected again. I would eradicate them once and for all. Or you will be messing with them for months to come. Do a one time thing and get er done.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Sorry to hear about the fall :( Just to let you know...I DID my can :) I took it outside, I used about 1/2 gallon of vinegar...filled it halfway with water...put the lid on...left it overnight
the next day, I took a brush (didn't even have to strain) I brushed the walls and bottom, dumped can....rinsed really good with the hose...and it was like brand new
 
S

smartorl

Guest
Just my $.02. If it were me, I shuffle everyone around. I would put the male and the fish into the 20 gallon (not ideal but safe), or find a larger tank, and tear the other tank down. Dip the rocks, corals, and overhaul the tank to rid it of the flatworms.
My thoughts are that if you move the rocks and the livestock, dipping the rocks, you could have a die off that could set off a chain of events that could negatively impact you horse.
I would dip the rocks, do all you need to do to the sand, etc, then reset the tank up and allow it to run a bit, keeping an eye on the parameters, and also any possible straggling flatworms.
It will be more time consuming and more of a pain juggling everyone but I would rather be safe than sorry with your male.
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
Water tube cleaned and filling with water. I will be picking up more salt tomorrow. Let the cleanup begin, uggggg.
It may take my a few days, the kids have been keeping me busy. lol
T
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
ok, a little progress. lol I moved the round tank, so I can set up the 10 gal. I need to find a used canister filter to set up my other chiller for the 20 gal. If I cant find a cheap used one, I will have to move my other canister and I dont really want to lol. I bleached my net bag so I can start syphoning the flat worms. Once I find out about the canister and chiller, i will start moving things around.
T
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
you have to have a pump of some kind, and I dont want a powerhead in the tank with the horses, lol. I use a canister filter, that way the water is clean before it hits the chiller.
 
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