ick and parasite....same thing?

[randolph]

at this point i am fixing to loose every fish in my tank
have started feeding garlic soaked food and hoping this
will help. i don.t have a 125 dollar meter to check salt at
1.009 and do hypo. i have learned a very hard lesson at the expense of my fish, some that i have had now for 22 months.
i am just sick about it but as far as i have read there is not much that i can do. tangs can't handle copper. "most med for ick/parasites are worthless" plan on putting all fish in hospital tank and medicating anyway , at least this would be trying to help. have lost my flame angel,bi-color blennie, and royal gramma. any help would be greatly appreciated short of bitching at me for making a bad mistake, i already know that and feel bad
enough loosing the fish that i have become attached to.

 

[randolph]

thanks for the replies will do something right away
i am setting up a hospital tank and believe me i have learned

 

[col]

i don.t have a 125 dollar meter to check salt at
1.009 and do hypo.
Randolph - why would you need a 125 dollar meter? What do you use to check SG now?

 

[col]

Anthem
Tell me more why swing arm hydrometers are no good, I have one. Am I getting false readings?

 

[col]

Anthem
I have a swing arm hydrometer. I thought by checking tap water and getting a reading of 1 that this would be a good enough test that it is working ok, as the density of water is 1 (if I am correct).

 

[randolph]

i'm using a swing arm meter right now , but the one i have only goes to 1.010, i did see one at the lfs that goes down to 1.004 thats my new question but i guess that has been answered.

 

[col]

Anthem
I Don't think my hydrometer is better than the rest. Just asking your opinion dude.
Am I bound for failure with it then? (hypo)

 

[col]

Anthem
So you reckon I shouldn't do hypo with my swing arm hydro?

 

[randolph]

where can i buy one of these large glass hydrometer

 

[beth]

Do you have a FO tank, or FOWLR/reef? If it is strictly FO, then you can perform hyposalinity in the main tank.
IMO, just because you don't have the refractometer, doesn't mean that hyposalinity is hopeless. We have been successful with less accurate tools---though, its not something I'd promote. But under the circumstances, you can begin the process--perhaps even using a good glass hydrometer. You can order a refract in the interim and get it in under a week.

 

[col]

Terry B
What do you mean by calibrated for reef temperatures. Are all hydrometers not calibrated this way?
thanx