substrate in a hyposalinity tank?

[billyv]

After listening to the chior preach about the nessesity of having a hospital tank, I went out and bought a really nice 26 gallon All-Glass bow front tank and stand to set up as a hospital tank. I am planning to do a hypo-salinity treatment to get rid of an outbreak of ick, and from what I'm reading here on the board, I shouldn't have any substate in my hospital tank. My question is this, I know that substrate isn't recommended, but can I get away with it? It should be noted that I do not ever plan to ever MEDICATE my hopsital tank, just have plans to do hyposalinity treatments, if that makes any difference ref using substrate. I'd also appricate any information on how to set my new 26 gallon tank using water from my existing reef tank to avoid a cycle. Any info on hypo-salinity would also be appriciated. Thanks!

 

[sinner's girl]

hey, i can't help you but since no one answered i'll tell you to go to the other board. diesece and treatment. I believe all the info you need is there, search.

 

[captained]

OK, I can handle a few answers:
1) As far as I know, the only reason for no substrate is that in a small hospital tank, its harder to clean, and you want to be able to vacumn up the fish poop since you don't have anything to convert it. If you copper it, you could never put it back in your tank, but you're not. Ick, in the Tomont Stage will live in cysts in a substrate, but if you do a full 32 day hypo then it won't matter.
2) I would use water from your tank- the parasites are on your fish, no significant number free floating in the water, so you're hardly adding to the problem, and it will be less stressful to the fish.
3) Buy some chaep decorations (rock) for the fish to hide behind- they'll be stessed by the move just like when you first got them.