Instant ways to kill ich and velvet

[EricR]

Gettin' chilly in here.

Personally, I like to see/read ALL opinions even if just based on personal experience without scientific evidence, especially from experienced reefers. (Each person can then decide which advice to follow based on what information was presented and how it was backed up).

To the OP -- I'm sure I misread what exactly you meant when you said tanks "are completely empty" so you might want to clarify. (I'm assuming rocks and sand still in water and nothing living that you care about but could be wrong).

 

[Paul B]

I don't know what anyone is arguing about and I also don't know Adam, unless he is the guy with Eve.

But since I already gave my opinion on this thread I will give another one. I prefer a diatom filter to all methods for "instant" parasite removal. No muss no fuss.

I realize diatom filters are difficult to get now, but your fish don't care.

Have a great day.

 

[Current Tides]

I'm on board with this style of fix. Might as well just start from scratch at that point.

I don't mind recycling, I feel it would be easier to deal w/ than infections, orrrr maybeeee

 

[Current Tides]

if there's nothing in the tank but live rock, why not dry out and re start. Break tank down and dry the LR (Yes everything will die) but by the time you're banking on your fallow days you could be re building. Bet definitely agree not to bomb with copper.

that's an idea I could try, now that I'm back online, and did a bit more scrolling, I noticed jay hemdal had said 500pm of bleach for 24hr would work. which got me to thinking why not use that or H2O2? tho I think bleach would be more effective

 

[Current Tides]

I'm not sure I or others are following along with your current situation. You said you have copper in the tanks now? So plan on fish only? You want to kill off instantly without needing to recycle the systems?

If the cycle isn't an issue and no livestock in the systems, then I would drain them, refill with fresh water add chlorine at about 1 cup per 100gal, let sit for 24hrs.
Drain, then refill with fresh water. Let sit for 24hrs.
Add a full bottle of pond declorinator drom home depot to each. Leave for a week .drain refill with rodi, then after a few days test for chlorine. Add declorinator if needed. This should help with removing any copper traces too.

sounds reasonable this is about the route I'm looking to go

 

[Current Tides]

Some non-workable advice here. You could go fallow as @vetteguy53081 said, but you wanted "fast". Since you've hit the tank with copper and heat, you might as well do a complete tank reset. Fill the tank with freshwater (I always drain and fill again to remove residual salt). Then, hit the tank with 100 ppm household bleach (no surfactants, dyes or perfumes though). You might be better off using some hot tub solid sterilizer. 100 ppm = gallons times 100 divided by 266 to give grams of material needed.
Let that circulate for 24 hours, drain, rinse and refill. Add some dechlor and then establish the biofilter again. Remember though - if you don't quarantine your fish well, the very first fish you add could put you right back at this point again.

Jay

what would be the advantage/disadvantage of using hot tub sterilizer? equation is super helpful, planning on doing a 30day quarantine with 2.5ppm of copper power at 78F

 

[Current Tides]

While your tank is beautiful itself. you dont know me from Adam and to insinuate that I am giving false readings takes a lot of nerve. Sorry but you are another disrespectful reefer that I want nothing to do with. Good luck in your endeavors. You are now blocked from my conversations.

no reason to argue, this thread is a place for education and insight. While I do agree that a 45day period is most likely effective, and that it's what I'd base my beliefs on, a 90day period is unarguably a better option, as it surpasses 45. it makes more sense to compare reasons/sources/explanations to find a better answer, rather than fighting it head-on. I think the sources @Jay Hemdal left in the thread should be enough to back the 45day theory. from what I can tell he wasn't trying to be disrespectful, but id call him out if I did.

 

[MediocreAtEverything]

He was just debating the topic with you and expressing his opinion albeit in a direct manner. Did not appear he used explicit language to be disrespectful to you but offered his own theory. If you post 45 days then technically you are insinuating he is posting false info with his 90 plus day recommendation. In the end each tank and situation is unique and a reefer will have to determine what his best course of action is and learn from the experience.

I actually appreciate guys like you and shooter 6 with multi decades of experience sharing your knowledge and reefing skills for us novice reefers to learn.

No, he gave the answer that is consistent with what the experts in the industry, Jay and Humblefish suggest. Shooter is just trying to sound smart and be a contrarian. There is a reason why there is another forum on the internet that isn't full of these people. This forum is almost as bad as reddit and FB, where everyone is an expert and there are too many voices to pick from.

 

[Current Tides]

Gettin' chilly in here.

Personally, I like to see/read ALL opinions even if just based on personal experience without scientific evidence, especially from experienced reefers. (Each person can then decide which advice to follow based on what information was presented and how it was backed up).

To the OP -- I'm sure I misread what exactly you meant when you said tanks "are completely empty" so you might want to clarify. (I'm assuming rocks and sand still in water and nothing living that you care about but could be wrong).

yes that is right, I misspoke lol

 

[Lavey29]

No, he gave the answer that is consistent with what the experts in the industry, Jay and Humblefish suggest. Shooter is just trying to sound smart and be a contrarian. There is a reason why there is another forum on the internet that isn't full of these people. This forum is almost as bad as reddit and FB, where everyone is an expert and there are too many voices to pick from.

I went over 76 days, worked fine so the science is still in its alpha stage. Shooter is allowed to express his opinion based on his research as are you and I.

If you don't like the forum here then why post in it. Find some place you like.

 

[Current Tides]

I don't know what anyone is arguing about and I also don't know Adam, unless he is the guy with Eve.

But since I already gave my opinion on this thread I will give another one. I prefer a diatom filter to all methods for "instant" parasite removal. No muss no fuss.

I realize diatom filters are difficult to get now, but your fish don't care.

Have a great day.

what are the odds the parasite lays in the sandbed, rock, or something else, and continuing to wreak havoc? seems too easy of a possibility.

 

[Shooter6]

I don't know what anyone is arguing about and I also don't know Adam, unless he is the guy with Eve.

But since I already gave my opinion on this thread I will give another one. I prefer a diatom filter to all methods for "instant" parasite removal. No muss no fuss.

I realize diatom filters are difficult to get now, but your fish don't care.

Have a great day.

I've not seen a diatomaceous filter ran since the early 90s but they are a great option. Many large aquariums such as zoos and such ran or still do run them on some tanks, but on home systems I've not seen them for a long time. I remember there used to be some mini ones, maybe 5gal body, on the market in the late 80s-early 90s. Do you run one? Pics and info?

 

[Jay Hemdal]

what would be the advantage/disadvantage of using hot tub sterilizer? equation is super helpful, planning on doing a 30day quarantine with 2.5ppm of copper power at 78F

Household bleach is best/easiest but people are having trouble finding it: it needs to be 5.25% sodium hypochlorite and water. Trouble is, most also now add perfumes and other stuff, thus the suggestion to just use hot tub chlorine tabs….
Jay

 

[Current Tides]

Household bleach is best/easiest but people are having trouble finding it: it needs to be 5.25% sodium hypochlorite and water. Trouble is, most also now add perfumes and other stuff, thus the suggestion to just use hot tub chlorine tabs….
Jay

is sodium hydroxide ok? I seem to see that around a lot, but chlorine works too.

 

[BostonReefer300]

is sodium hydroxide ok? I seem to see that around a lot, but chlorine works too.

Don't use sodium hydroxide. That is a strong base. You need an oxidizing agent like bleach or those chlorine pool/hot-tub tabs Jay was talking about

 

[vetteguy53081]

He was just debating the topic with you and expressing his opinion albeit in a direct manner. Did not appear he used explicit language to be disrespectful to you but offered his own theory. If you post 45 days then technically you are insinuating he is posting false info with his 90 plus day recommendation. In the end each tank and situation is unique and a reefer will have to determine what his best course of action is and learn from the experience.

I actually appreciate guys like you and shooter 6 with multi decades of experience sharing your knowledge and reefing skills for us novice reefers to learn.

hey Lavey29- wanted to reach out to you and in respect reply. Debates are fine - theyre part of a forum. I guess what led to my comment and action is not what he was contesting but to tell me im giving false readings to others and from my very own tank (was he standing there?) and he does not agree with Humblefish, J ay (who has authored many books and manages a large public aquarium) and biologists that have no clue what theyre talking about expressed to me a level of arrogance.
If you have not noticed already, We have in the last 4 months obtained quite a few insulative or less than respectful members and I was not raised this way and have a low tolerance for disrespect.
I could have replied differently- Yes and in review, rather than get riled up over something like this , will simply utilize the ignore button.
I spend a lot of time on here and I know weve bumped into each other along the way with various topics and Ive always shown others respect.
There are posts and opinions i dont agree with and I have never called anyone out and said you are wrong or the like. Many have an experience that works that should not have worked and you tell yourself " Wow".
Thanks for input

 

[Lavey29]

hey Lavey29- wanted to reach out to you and in respect reply. Debates are fine - theyre part of a forum. I guess what led to my comment and action is not what he was contesting but to tell me im giving false readings to others and from my very own tank (was he standing there?) and he does not agree with Humblefish, J ay (who has authored many books and manages a large public aquarium) and biologists that have no clue what theyre talking about expressed to me a level of arrogance.
If you have not noticed already, We have in the last 4 months obtained quite a few insulative or less than respectful members and I was not raised this way and have a low tolerance for disrespect.
I could have replied differently- Yes and in review, rather than get riled up over something like this , will simply utilize the ignore button.
I spend a lot of time on here and I know weve bumped into each other along the way with various topics and Ive always shown others respect.
There are posts and opinions i dont agree with and I have never called anyone out and said you are wrong or the like. Many have an experience that works that should not have worked and you tell yourself " Wow".
Thanks for input

Unfortunately this is just a microcosm of what's wrong with the world now. We can't talk to each other anymore with different viewpoints. I'm not saying you did anything wrong at all or that he did but it sure would be nice to debate the pros and cons of anything in life in a constructive manner and as I said previously new guys like myself rely on you veteran reefers to educate us for success.

 

[Current Tides]

Don't use sodium hydroxide. That is a strong base. You need an oxidizing agent like bleach or those chlorine pool/hot-tub tabs Jay was talking about

ok thanks, now that im thinking about it, isnt that lye? some bleach i had lying around had that and sodium hypochlorite (and water) in it, but i guess that means ill need to get some other kind or just chlorine.

 

[Paul B]

what are the odds the parasite lays in the sandbed, rock, or something else, and continuing to wreak havoc? seems too easy of a possibility.

I don't know about the odds but you can leave the diatom filter on the tank as long as you like or until those parasites that are laying on the sand bed get bored and come out. Diatom filters are the best way to eliminate parasites instantly using no chemicals.

Do you run one? Pics and info?

Of course I do. I only recommend things that work and have worked for me for decades.

(picture is about 10 years old)



I use one to stir up my gravel once or twice a year because I run a reverse undergravel filter and it will collect "stuff". I don't want it to clog. I also like to blow out detritus in pores of the rock.

I used to use it when I would collect my water from the East River next to Manhattan to remove the hot dogs, hypodermic needles and Oldsmobile tires.

it will filter down to one micron, thats smaller than an ich or velvet parasite.

You need no chemicals, fallow, copper, Prizapro, heat or all the things many people like to do.

I have 4 or 5 of them in various stages of disrepair and only one working one.

When I get time, I will build a new one.

If I get a fish from a LFS covered in parasites, usually for free and I want to try to cure it. I put it in a tank with a diatom filter and maybe copper for a few days and that fish normally (but not always) gets cured.

I kind of had to re build or re design all of them.



I got quite a few fish like that, the last one was a copperband completely covered in ich.
(It's in my book)

It's totally cured. These old school methods like my reverse undergravel filter, Clorox (which is probably still in my tank from the 70s) and diatom filters fell out of favor because no one makes money on them and they work. If your fish lived long enough to die of old age, LFSs would all go out of business. They hate me.

In a few weeks my reef will be running continuously for fifty one years. These old school methods may have something to do with that and I have never had to go on a disease forum.
If it were not for diatom filters, I would not be in this hobby.

I also helped to start I think 3 LFSs, one is still in business from the 60s. I even collected all the water for one of them and kept their tanks parasite free with diatom filters. It's a no brainer.

But what do I know, I am just an old retired, bald electrician with a fish tank and a torn rotator cuff

 

[Jay Hemdal]

is sodium hydroxide ok? I seem to see that around a lot, but chlorine works too.

No. sodium hydroxide won't work well, in small amounts, it will just raise the pH. In larger amounts it is caustic . Sodium hypochlorite is bleach.

Jay