Ich treatment procedure???

[lu]

Ok, I've been reading all the posts about ich treament using hyposalinity. Do I have this totally right?
1. Remove all l/r and or corals
2. Inverts can stay!?
3. Do treatment for??? 3 weeks? and then it's safe to put l/r back?
Can you keep l/r from the tank safe by putting it in a garbage can (used to mix salt water) w/ some fresh salt water for that long of a time? Does it require that you keep light to it?? (the rock?) <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />

 

[beth]

Your live rock needs SALT water, otherwise you would have been able to leave it in the tank during the hyposalinity treatment. You LR also needs circulation and, preferably filtration as well. Minimumally it will need powerheads in the bucket.
My suggestion would be to setup a hospital tank separate for the fish. It is easier than removing all your live rock.
Hyposalinity:
Over the course of 48 hrs reduce the specific gravity [salinity] in your tank in small increments to 1.009.
Maintain the specific gravity at this level for 4 weeks AFTER all visible signs of ick have disappeared from your fish.
If all is well after the 4 weeks, you can raise the specific gravity over 4-5 day back to normal levels.
Continue monitoring the fish in the hospital tank for a week after the SG is returned to normal.
If all is well, then you can return the fish to the maintain tank.
Inverts can not tolerate hyposalinity.

 

[lu]

Thanks Beth! I guess the best option is to start up a hospital tank. I wish all the lfs would tell you the FIRST thing you should have before starting a salt tank is to get a hospital tank up and running.......unfortunately......they DON'T tell you that. In the 2 1/2 years I had a freshwater tank, I never had disease problems that couldn't be taken care of in the original tank so I never imgined such problems with salt........my mistake!!

 

[beth]

Glad to hear you're going to setup a hospital. It is a good choice.
Good luck!