Ich, velvet & all the other goodies

[garra671]

So my last tank is officially taken down and out of commission. I essentially shut it down and never broke it down, because I was tired of dealing with ich.

I’m now attempting to do this with as much thought and thoroughness as I can. To prevent any losses in the new tank I’m setting up.

I’m planning on buying sand and everything tomorrow. Ich can come in on live sand, live rock, he’ll probably even dry rock.

I know fish, corals etc etc need to be put into a QT for specified amounts of time. But I still need to start the cycle of my tank.

my question is: how can I prevent ich and velvet from entering the system all together?

Will I need to add the live sand and rock; and allowing the tank to cycle for up too 10 weeks to completely Ensure nothing will happen to the first fish I add, after they themselves are isolated and treated in a QT?

And if this is the case should I add my CUC at the same time roughly (give or take a week) as I do my sand and rock?


As well; regrettably my last tank sat for about 5 months with partial water and no fish. Is the live rock and sand, safe for use in the new aquarium? I figure either way it’s going to need to start over from scratch with a fallow period and QT fish.

none the less all replies I appreciate and will read every single one.

Thank you very much and sorry for the long post.

 

[Big G]

Been there. Setup your tank with sand, rock, saltwater and turn on everything except lights and run without fish for 76 days. That will starve out all parasites.
I would hesitate to put in a CUC at setup: there's nothing for them to cleanup. You could put just a few CUC and lightly feed them for the 76 days.

 

[garra671]

Been there. Setup your tank with sand, rock, saltwater and turn on everything except lights and run without fish for 76 days. That will starve out all parasites.
I would hesitate to put in a CUC at setup: there's nothing for them to cleanup. You could put just a few CUC and lightly feed them for the 76 days.

Well my thing is; I could put nori or something of that nature for them to eat. And they would cycle with the live rock and sand. And it will give me something to watch. While fish are getting ready in a seperate QT.

Would this work?

 

[Big G]

Yep. That's what I fed mine. Wrap a rock with nori using a rubber band to hold on the nori, but tie a length of fishing line to the rubber band. Easy in easy out.

 

[Humblefish]

I would restart your DT using dry rock, dry sand, etc. to keep unwanted hitchhikers, pests & diseases out of your tank. You can jump start your cycle by dosing pure ammonia.

You will need "support tanks" if you wish to keep diseases out of your DT.

A QT for fish: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/how-to-quarantine.232/

And a fishless frag tank for new corals/inverts: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/how-to-quarantine-coral-and-inverts.228/

 

[Big G]

I would restart your DT using dry rock, dry sand, etc. to keep unwanted hitchhikers, pests & diseases out of your tank. You can jump start your cycle by dosing pure ammonia.

You will need "support tanks" if you wish to keep diseases out of your DT.

A QT for fish: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/how-to-quarantine.232/

And a fishless frag tank for new corals/inverts: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/how-to-quarantine-coral-and-inverts.228/

Yep. Went to Ace Hardware and bought their "Janitorial Strength Ammonia". It's pure ammonia with no additives. As a matter of fact, I'm using it right now to cycle a 20 qt. Using 1 drop per gallon from an eyedropper gives me approx 1 ppm in my 20 qt. Test to make sure. Test and dose up to 1 ppm daily until the ammonia and then nitrites drop to zero from the last dosage. Your mileage my vary. Takes about 30-35 days to cycle. Hope this helps. Works for me. No parasites.

 

[Humblefish]

^^ Excellent advice by @Big G on how to cycle a tank.

I may get to retire soon.

 

[Big G]

^^ Excellent advice by @Big G on how to cycle a tank.

I may get to retire soon.

"Always pass on what you have learned."
~Yoda

 

[garra671]

"Always pass on what you have learned."
~Yoda

Is the ammonia a neccesecity? I’m taking my time on this tank to not have the same fate as last time. But at the same time it sucks to walk in and see an empty tank.

Would it be I’ll advised to set the tank up today (fully dry everything).

And let the tank cycle for about a week or so. And then add a small amount of CUC maybe 10? And then allow everything to take its course over the next 10 weeks or so; to make sure everything is killed off (fallow period)

 

[Big G]

I didn't add any CUC until the ammonia/nitrite cycle dropped to zero. So the clock started on the DT for 76 days after adding the CUC. So the tank was completely empty for about 30 days for the ammonia/nitrite and then 76 days with the small crew of CUC, chaeto and pods. Worked for me. Zero parasites.

 

[garra671]

I didn't add any CUC until the ammonia/nitrite cycle dropped to zero. So the clock started on the DT for 76 days after adding the CUC. So the tank was completely empty for about 30 days for the ammonia/nitrite and then 76 days with the small crew of CUC, chaeto and pods. Worked for me. Zero parasites.

That raises another question. When it comes to Chaeto and macro algae for a refuge. Do you treat those as coral and dip them and let parasites die off? Or do those just go straight in?

Also do you off hand know the fallow period for ich and velvet? (The safe time to know it’s dead)

 

[Big G]

I dip my chaeto and sea lettuce in Bayer. Rinse. Rinse and then qt them in a 5 gal bucket with lights (8 hr.) for 16 days for any potential ich/velvet to die off of plant life.
Fallow period for a display tank is 76 days to allow for the longest known ich strain to die off in environment where there are hard surfaces for ich/velvet to encycst.
And this is for chaeto and sea lettuce coming from a source (Algae Barn) that I have a very high level of confidence in their qt procedures. Bottom line is the only QT you can truly trust is your own. Hope this helps.

 

[HotRocks]

@Big G
Liked "The only QT you can trust is your own"

Or @Humblefish or @4FordFamily (Id trust theirs)

 

[Big G]

@Big G
Liked "The only QT you can trust is your own"

Or @Humblefish or @4FordFamily (Id trust theirs)

Inspired by ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ and the rest of the reefsquad

 

[HotRocks]

Inspired by ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ and the rest of the reefsquad

Likewise, between @Humblefish articles and @4FordFamily help in person, they taught me everything I know. Hasn't let me down yet.

 

[4FordFamily]

Likewise, between @Humblefish articles and @4FordFamily help in person, they taught me everything I know. Hasn't let me down yet.

Don’t give us too much credit, Chief. You’re a very fast learner!

 

[garra671]

Inspired by ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ and the rest of the reefsquad

So theoretically; I should be fine with live sand? The shop near me has a deal on it. And I figure if I have to be fallow with a small amount of CUC anyways? ‍.

I was going to buy reefflakes (the Tonga pink caught my eye). But it ships from Indiana and 60lbs ain’t cheap to ship lol.

As well I just got my ammonium chloride and one and only, from amazon for once I do figure out my substrate and everything.

 

[Big G]

Well, the 76 days is for ich/velvet/brook starve out. In "live" sand you could pickup other critters: bristle worms, fireworms, flatworms, slugs, etc.