Is This Ich???

[mfraembs]

Hi Everyone,
I was hoping someone could help me out with trying to resolve the problem. I recently purchased a lavender tang for my tank about three weeks ago. He.... or she seems to be doing very well but I noticed the other day some white spots on the fish’s tail end as well as some on the fins.
Here are my tanks stats
Nitrite 0.1 PPM
Nitrate 10 PPM
Ammonia 0.25
PH about 8.0
My tank is a 50 gal with a Fluval 304, with bio balls, carbon, ______? Then I have a protein skimmer which is a Prism. I have roughly 50lbs of live rock, 20 lbs of live sand.
My Livestock:
1 Lavender Tang - 2" (planning to upgrade to 100g tank)
1 flame dart fish - 1.5"
1 Tomato Clown - 1.5"
1 Peppermint Shrimp - Small
2 med rocks of polyps
1 trial size Christmas tree coral
I know my tank conditions are not the best and I am working on improving them. Any input is greatly appreciated.

 

[subielover]

Pics are needed. Also why do you have ammonia, is this a new tank? I take it you did not quarantine?

 

[mfraembs]

My tank has been set up for about six months now, unfortunately I have not invested in a quarantine tank. I think this could help with a lot of my problems. How much do an average quarantine tank cost? What else could I do to reduce my ammonia, nitrate, & Nitrite? Already have done quite a bit of water changes. I do have a thick sand bed, could this be the problem?

 

[calaxa]

Six months and have ammonia? That is odd. Are you using RO/DI water? Are you sure your tester is correct?
As for a QT, go with whatever you can afford/fit in your space. Sit a sponge filter in your sump for awhile so bacteria builds on it and use that as your filter for QT. Twenty gallons is probably enough based on the sizes of the fish you have been purchasing. Even a large rubbermaid is fine. Just make sure you have the essentials (filter, heating, some PVC pipes for hiding or LR if you can spare, cheap lights, etc.)

 

[anthropo]

you might want to think about adding a filter on the opposite side of your fluval filter because these filters are not great filters when it comes to saltwater fish tanks. get either an emperor filter which is probably the best hangon filter for a salt tank because of the bio wheel or an aquaclear which is still good but not the best. that will help with the ammonia.....or you can get a sump and toss that fluval.