Don't give up! There is some really great advice, here. It also sounds like you've got an epic system in the making. Just gotta slow things down. You've already done the right thing by asking for help!
You got this.
You got this.
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Someone might have already said this but you said your LFS runs hyposalinity and your is 1.026. IMO a 45 min drip from hypo to 1.026 is way too fast. I learned that the hard way years ago. Fish would look great, eatting etc, only to die a few days later....with no signs and of disease. Thanks am not saying this is what happened to all of the fish....just something to think about! After that experience several years ago I ONLY buy fish from fish in my LFS coral systems.I bought it from a store that had purchased the fish months ago. He was happy and healthy in the tank at this store and I killed him
The store does run hypo-salinity and their tanks with medications / copper / etc., so maybe removing those chemicals caused the issue? The store is not the issue, its a premier store in New England.
It's not the stores' fault, please don't think that's what I am trying to say. It's the nature of the industry. Fish go from the ocean into collector's tanks, then into distributors / wholesalers, then into stores. They can catch a bug in any of those places. For stores, treating all incoming fish is a very hard task. Thus it's up to us, hobbyists, to make sure we keep our animals healthy upon arrival.
This makes perfect sense. I feel so stupid for not putting it into this type of perspective. I need to start thinking of my QT as being the first and last lines of defense against fish disease. My mind is made up, I'm buying a 40g breeder this weekend and setting up a QT. I plan on doing:+1 Everyone along the supply chain is just trying to turn a profit. If they don't, they will go out of business. QTing on a commercial level involves great risk + slows down the money making process, so expect to pay a premium for such a service.
I use both an Aquaclear HOB & bubble/sponge filter. Soak the media (foam pads, ceramic media like Seachem Matrix or Fluval Biomax) in Dr. Tim's/Biospira for both if an emergency. But I keep a set of the media soaking in my main tank sump at all times. Works for me.Instead of a HOB, I would go with a sponge filter