Quarantine Tank Dilemma

[jonclark96]

So, I picked up some new fish a couple of weeks ago and luckily added them to a quarantine tank to keep an eye on them before putting into established tanks. Low and behold, the fish developed ich and I treated with copper and elevated temps. Unfortunately, the treatment was not sufficient and I lost all of the fish.

Now, I have an empty quarantine tank that has/had ich. How would you deal with the tank so you wouldn't have the worry about giving new fish ich the next time you want to use the tank?

 

[Becca]

I do one of two things - I either turn it into a saturated salt solution by adding several cups of water softener salt or I add a few cups of bleach and let it sit that way for a few hours.

The bleach will destroy/melt filter sponges but the salt won't.

 

[mchambers]

I'd just let the tank sit dry for a few days or more. The cysts cannot survive out of the water for prolonged periods.

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/ichthyophthirius

 

[chriscoli]

I like those above options very much. If you want another choice, you can use potassium permanganate. If you don't have that, make up a solution of net soak and fill the tank with it. Rinse after you've let it sit for a bit.

If you go the bleach route...the ideal ratio is 1 part household bleach to 9 parts water for 10 to 15 minutes. So, you wouldn't have to fill the entire tank....just make sure that everything 's had contact with the bleach solution and stays wet for the duration of the 10 to 15 min.

 

[dogofwar]

Sorry to hear about the losses, Jon!

I'd take out the filter and decor and dump a little bleach in. Let it sit overnight, drain, re-fill and (double) de-chlor...

Let the filters and decor dry out and/or drop them in a bucket with bleach or net soak or lots of salt and they'll also be fine...

Matt

 

[Termato]

This will be very helpful! I picked up some fish a couple of weeks ago and they just came down with ich in my QT yesterday. I'll have to do the same thing once they make it through the treatment.

I just recently got in the Ruby Reef treatment system and I was able to try it out. I immediately dipped them in a 1oz HydroPlex to 1 Quart Water mixture for 10 minutes. I pulled out the fish and every external sign of ich was gone. Every last spot. The fish didn't show any signs of negative effects from the treatment, either.

I then treated the tank with Rally and Kick Ich. The tank is now nuclear colored green and the fish seem to be doing better than before the treatment. I'll let you all know how it works out. Only 1 full day of treatment so far.

At the very least, I know the hydroplex works.

 

[FishEggs]

Would it work to just turn the heater up to 90 for a few days?
How long will ich live in the water if there are no fish to feed off of?

 

[Localzoo]

I would turn it into a saltwater tank for a few days.
The bleach solution is the quickest but as stated before will destroy the sponge.


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