I had ich...how long should I keep an empty tank???
- Thread starter cmc3502
- Start date
cmc3502
Member
my QT tank has the following setup...
10 gallon bare tank
2 pieces of rock (for hiding)
2 in 1 skilter skimmer/filter (I bought this crappy one for my main tank and learned not to go cheap)
heater
Is this enough anf how long before I buy a fish should I place water from the main tank in here??
10 gallon bare tank
2 pieces of rock (for hiding)
2 in 1 skilter skimmer/filter (I bought this crappy one for my main tank and learned not to go cheap)
heater
Is this enough anf how long before I buy a fish should I place water from the main tank in here??
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by cmc3502
my QT tank has the following setup...
10 gallon bare tank
2 pieces of rock (for hiding)
2 in 1 skilter skimmer/filter (I bought this crappy one for my main tank and learned not to go cheap)
heater
Is this enough anf how long before I buy a fish should I place water from the main tank in here??
Yes, thats all that is needed. I would wait at least 6 weeks to be sure the ich is out of your display before adding anything new. When you do start to restock buy only one or two fish at a time and leave them in the qt for at least 4 weeks. Yes you can use display water for your qt.
my QT tank has the following setup...
10 gallon bare tank
2 pieces of rock (for hiding)
2 in 1 skilter skimmer/filter (I bought this crappy one for my main tank and learned not to go cheap)
heater
Is this enough anf how long before I buy a fish should I place water from the main tank in here??
Yes, thats all that is needed. I would wait at least 6 weeks to be sure the ich is out of your display before adding anything new. When you do start to restock buy only one or two fish at a time and leave them in the qt for at least 4 weeks. Yes you can use display water for your qt.
royal gang
Active Member
you should have gotten those cleaner shrimp, im getting about 3-4 of those to keep my fish safe.
cmc3502
Member
so which is right?
wait 14 days?? or wait 6 weeks??
also if i do wait 6 weeks in the main tank, can I get fish (maybe 2 mated percula clowns) and have them in QT for 4 weeks while I'm waiting... meaning the last 4 weeks of the "6 week" period, I could be doing two things at once? (provided that I put new water in the qt to start with??)
oh, and the cleaner shrimp is a great idea or a neon goby.. thanks
wait 14 days?? or wait 6 weeks??
also if i do wait 6 weeks in the main tank, can I get fish (maybe 2 mated percula clowns) and have them in QT for 4 weeks while I'm waiting... meaning the last 4 weeks of the "6 week" period, I could be doing two things at once? (provided that I put new water in the qt to start with??)
oh, and the cleaner shrimp is a great idea or a neon goby.. thanks
larryndana
Active Member
IMO, I'd buy a few fish and put them in the QT tank while you wait for the DT. But then again you will have to watch it closely if its not cycled. Lots of small water changes.
ci11337
Active Member
I had the same problem (ich plague) and lost all my fish.
Anyway this is what i did afterwards with great results.
1) Buy a cleaner shrimp(make sure to acclimate well)
2) Wait 6 weeks(buy corals if you get bored)
3) Buy and QT a tough fish.(false perc,firefish,...)
4) If your new fish does well slowly QT and add more.
5) Don't overstock and stick to peaceful species.(thus reducing stress)
6) Have friends over to see your healthy fish!!!!
:happyfish
1) Buy a cleaner shrimp(make sure to acclimate well)
2) Wait 6 weeks(buy corals if you get bored)
3) Buy and QT a tough fish.(false perc,firefish,...)
4) If your new fish does well slowly QT and add more.
5) Don't overstock and stick to peaceful species.(thus reducing stress)
6) Have friends over to see your healthy fish!!!!
cmc3502
Member
sounds like a plan, except for the 6 weeks bit, I was just reading through old post on the cycle of ich and theysaid 28 days was the time needed with no fish in the main tank...
Heres my plan for now, keeping in mind that I've had no fish in the tank for a week and a half now
1) next weekend buy a cleaner shrimp for the main tank and 2 percula clowns
2) place the 2 fish in QT for 4 weeks
3) after the 4 weeks (+ 2.5 weeks of no fish in the main tank) I will place the 2 perculas in the main tank...
4)....slowly start adding fish using the 4 week QT first method.
So I guess that would be about 6.5 weeks without fish anyway.
Sound Good?
Heres my plan for now, keeping in mind that I've had no fish in the tank for a week and a half now
1) next weekend buy a cleaner shrimp for the main tank and 2 percula clowns
2) place the 2 fish in QT for 4 weeks
3) after the 4 weeks (+ 2.5 weeks of no fish in the main tank) I will place the 2 perculas in the main tank...
4)....slowly start adding fish using the 4 week QT first method.
So I guess that would be about 6.5 weeks without fish anyway.
Sound Good?
scsinet
Active Member
4 weeks is the correct time period for a totally fallow system. Ich cannot survive without a host, no ifs ands or buts. More than that is unnecessarily long, and going that long you risk a massive biological filter die off from lack of fish producing waste to "feed" it.
Ich isn't like other animals that just get "thinner" without food... the organism requires a host to complete the life cycle, without which they will die. The life cycle maxes out at about 14 days, so 28 days is doubled up for good measure.
... oh and by the way... cleaner shrimp are not sure fire cures. Proper quarantine procedures are the most effective ways to prevent an outbreak. I definitely agree that they help, but they are not an excuse for sloppy quarantine regimens.
Ich isn't like other animals that just get "thinner" without food... the organism requires a host to complete the life cycle, without which they will die. The life cycle maxes out at about 14 days, so 28 days is doubled up for good measure.
... oh and by the way... cleaner shrimp are not sure fire cures. Proper quarantine procedures are the most effective ways to prevent an outbreak. I definitely agree that they help, but they are not an excuse for sloppy quarantine regimens.
michaeltx
Moderator
yeah thats about right you shouldnt have a problem during the QT period for the new fish the ich cycle will go through. Just keep in mind that any new additions need to have the QT time to prevent it inthe main tank again.
also if you soak your food in garlic extract before feeding it will help boost the immune system halping the fish fight off the ich in the first place.
Mike
also if you soak your food in garlic extract before feeding it will help boost the immune system halping the fish fight off the ich in the first place.
Mike
scsinet
Active Member
Originally Posted by cmc3502
so my QT tank can start off with new salt water?
If your main system (DT) doesn't have any problems (E.G. ich outbreaks) then I'd populate the QT with water from the DT. When you do water changes, move drain water from the QT, replace it with DT water, and put new seawater into the DT.
This way you are adding "cycled water" into the QT which will help keep your levels in check, and it has the benefit of getting your new fish used to the DTs conditions. Of course, your DT is currently suffering an outbreak, so doing this may very well transfer ich into the QT, causing you more problems.
In your case and moving forward if you have an outbreak in the main system that you are treating, use new seawater. Do a 50% water change every other day and add Seachem Prime on opposite days to keep ammonia from becoming toxic.
Another thing you may consider is to run your QT in hyposalinity for new arrivals, of course this means mixing new seawater for them. A 28 day quarantine period at 1.009 will ensure that no parasite survives and passes into the main system. The one drawback to this is it takes days to get your salinity back up to the main system's salinity level before you can even try to move them into the main tank. Coming from 1.009 to 1.020 or more cannot be done in hours of dripping, it takes days of adjusting.
so my QT tank can start off with new salt water?
If your main system (DT) doesn't have any problems (E.G. ich outbreaks) then I'd populate the QT with water from the DT. When you do water changes, move drain water from the QT, replace it with DT water, and put new seawater into the DT.
This way you are adding "cycled water" into the QT which will help keep your levels in check, and it has the benefit of getting your new fish used to the DTs conditions. Of course, your DT is currently suffering an outbreak, so doing this may very well transfer ich into the QT, causing you more problems.
In your case and moving forward if you have an outbreak in the main system that you are treating, use new seawater. Do a 50% water change every other day and add Seachem Prime on opposite days to keep ammonia from becoming toxic.
Another thing you may consider is to run your QT in hyposalinity for new arrivals, of course this means mixing new seawater for them. A 28 day quarantine period at 1.009 will ensure that no parasite survives and passes into the main system. The one drawback to this is it takes days to get your salinity back up to the main system's salinity level before you can even try to move them into the main tank. Coming from 1.009 to 1.020 or more cannot be done in hours of dripping, it takes days of adjusting.