Question

[cadmaster]

I have succeeded in killing off all my fish at the advice of my LFS.
Only the inverts and live rock have survived.
The last 5 days I have treated with Maroxy & Maracin
The water tested today:
Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 20
Ph = 8.2
Temp = 78
Salinity = 1. 023
What should I do at this point?
I am in the process of setting up a QT, should I use water from my tank or start new?
How long should I wait before I can add fish to QT.?

 

[simm]

How long has it been since your last water change? IMO I would change a little to get some fresh in it. On your QT tank you can use some water from your main tank. That will help start it off but it wont constitute in it being cycled. Then Id throw a piece of raw shrimp in it for cycling.

 

[beth]

Well, I'd go thru a whole new QT setup, and follow the cycling procedures for the QT that would normally do for your display. The display water really isn't good quality at this point.
Do some major water changes in the display. At this point, getting your display back up to par is more important than getting the QT up and running.

 

[simm]

Originally posted by Beth
The display water really isn't good quality at this point.

Just curious why is it not? Am I missing something here? Everything seems fine with the exception of trates at 20 which IMO 20 is not lethal.

 

[cadmaster]

Beth
When you say "major water changes", how much and how often would you recomend?
Also why do you say the display water really isn't good quality?
Is it because of the meds? I thought replacing the charcoal would remove them? The water has been testing the same for over a year now and had not lost anything till now.
I still have about 15 blue leg hermits and zebra hermits, 8 - 10 snails and an orange linkia starfish that are active and still looking good. All the polyps on the live rocks look good also.
How long would you wait to add new fish to the display and would you still put them in the QT before (since the are no fish in the display tank at this point)?
Simm - its been 10 days since my last water change

 

[oceanic110]

IMO, Wait 21 days before adding any fish to the display tank.

 

[cadmaster]

I did a search and it looks like what wiped out everything was "Marine Velvet".
Will this infect the hermits, snails and orange linkia also?
Will leaving the display fishless for three weeks be long enoughto get rid of marine velvet?
Is there any medication that will control marine velvet?

 

[simm]

Not sure about hermits or snails but I would think the linka may be vunerable. Marine Velvet? I thought I heard copper in a QT was the only way but I may be misteaken.

 

[beth]

Yes, medications will certainly lower water quality and tank stability, even with using carbon filtration.
Marine velvet will not effect inverts. I'd leave the display fishless for 2 mos, which gives you plenty of time to expand your hobby techniques and play around with QT. If you had QTed the fish first, you would never have introducted velvet in to your main tank, nor would you have placed medications in your main tank.
That's reason enough to consider QTing in the future.