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Carrie C
02-08-2004, 05:00 PM
We have a 65 gal saltwater tank, which consists of the following:
Equipment:
Eheim Canister Filteration system
Red Sea Protein Skimmer
2 402 Powerheads
1 900 Powerhead
1 1200 Powerhead
Our temp is kept at a consistant 78F and test our water weekly.
A few months ago our eheim started flooding the floor, so we talked to someone who works at a fish store, who told us that our live rock (we've got over a hundred pounds) would do what the eheim did, only better. We were also told to load our tank with invertebraes (we've got 25 hermit crabs, 2 emerald crabs, several anenome crabs, 30 or so snails, a konk and 2 sea cucumbers) we wouldn't need to have the eheim. So we did. We were also told to do mass feedings 2X a week, and that's all. So we did. It seemed to work for a while.Earlier this week we found out that we were given bad advice. We had the ehiem fixed and put it back in. We are feeding them flake food, brine shrimp and lettuce on a more regular basis now because they are malnurished. We noticed that some of our fish had a bit of ick, and their fins looked frayed, and bitten. We put "Kick-Ick" in on thursday night but it's not doing anything. In the past 3 days, we've lost a yellow eyed tang, flame angel, mandarin goby and today a orange clown. Our other Orange clown swims stationary on the sand, the yellow tang and coral beauty wants cleaned constantly, and they all dart around the tank, as if itchy, or irritated. We also have a long nose and flame hawkfish, a maroon clown fish, blue and yellow damsel, and a fire goby. We're really upset, we love our tank and need help desperately! Should we wait out the "Kick-Ich" or try something else? I don't think their dying of ick because it's just slight, before we find them dead. We also have many corals which are fine. :sad:

EmilyB
02-08-2004, 05:32 PM
You don't mention a sump, so I presume you don't have one. So for one thing, you lost a whole bunch of circulation when you pulled the canister. Also, a filtration system can't just be switched out that quickly.

Brine shrimp and lettuce have no nutrition whatsoever. Get some mysis and start feeding nori.

Jason McK
02-08-2004, 05:45 PM
First Welcome to CanReef. You will find everyone here very helpful.

My first though was for a 65G tank it seems as though you have a lot of fish. Too many fish can lead to stress and that is what causes ICK. Also with that amount of fish the canister filter would aid the LR in removing ammonia from the water. Once the filter was removed the bio-load may have sent the LR into a mini cycle. This would stress the fish out as well. I would say the advise the LFS gave you was partially good. I agree you don't need the filter, but as EmilyB stated simply removing it one day may cause problem. The feeding advise IMO was not very accurate. But I tend to over feed. I would say feed good food every day, but only enough so that it is all eaten with in 3-5 min.
My advise to you would be to try and sell some of your fish back to the LFS. This would reduce the bio-load. Then remove the filter. If this is not an option I would continue to use the filter and watch your fish very carefully. I think a couple are being aggressive.

Good Luck
J

Aquattro
02-08-2004, 05:58 PM
I would slowly reduce the amount of media in the cannister, and when it was mostly gone, remove the filter. The rock will do the filtering for you. Make sure you add a bit more flow to compensate for the cannister leaving. Again, lettuce ad brine are like popcorn, no nutritional value at all.
I swear by garlic for ich, and a recent thread here suggests that kick ich is less than helpful.

martym
02-08-2004, 06:33 PM
Being the one who was using the Kick-Ick, all I have to say it is NO GOOD. Personally, keep the eihem going with filter floss to help remove fine particles. I like to use small amounts of carbon in mine For you tank I would add about 2 tbs. and change it every 1-2 weeks. But first get rid of some of the fish like everyone says. As far as the filter it is your call. Some people like them some don't.

robbyville
02-08-2004, 08:10 PM
Hi Carrie, and welcome!

I will echo most of the thoughts already presented. I would also agree that you might have a few too many fish in the system.

You mention that you test regularly. It might also help if you could post your water parameters, I'd be curious as to what your Nitrate has been at.

A few have mentioned garlic as an ich treatment. I once had a small breakout of ich and learned about the garlic cure. Not only is this a great treatment but it's also good for prevention. We squeeze a little garlic with the food once per week. garlic helps to enhance fish colours and also acts as an appetite stimulant (So I'm told). Regardless, we have never had a problem since, and we have stressed out our fish plenty with moves!

Good luck, and let us know how things are going.

Rob

Beverly
02-08-2004, 10:52 PM
Carrie,

Here are two recent Canreef threads on ich:

http://www.canreef.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=8056

http://www.canreef.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=7978

Here are some ich articles:

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/marineich.html

http://www.petsforum.com/personal/trevor-jones/hyposalinity.html