best ick treatment

[arnaldolex]

i answered a question someone asked me about if i quarenteen and i said no, that i use this amazing ick treatment that i came upon about a year ago. I had caught ick and lost about 8 fish already and i have a 180 full reef tank meaning i got everything i wasn't trying to empty the tank out and run it empty for 2 months. I went to a pet store and they recommended a liquid called ich-x, ya might know about it but i didnt, and am sure that alot of people don't know by the amount of emails i was getting. This medication is awesome its reef safe and works quick you dose it every 24 hrs, remove all media and socks and do a water change of 25 percent every 24 hours. I had already lost 8 fish and had fish visibly sick about 3 and they all got better in 3 days i saw no sign of ick. I just wanted to really recommend this product good thing to have for those reefers that don't quarenteen like me. The product is called ich-x and has a picture of alot of fish on the front i give it 4 thumbs up lol.

 

[kres1024]

If it's the hikari Ich-X contains 3% formalin which is decidedly NOT reef-safe.,and doesn't kill ick,may of worked for you just be careful with stony corals

 

[marrone]

We've been down this road before, the active ingredients in Ich-X doesn't kill Ich. So, if it doesn't kill Ich then did it work? Probably not.

 

[d5332]

OP, not disrespect or bashing. There is absolutely no magic powder or liquid that gets rid of parasites or harmful bacterias in an aquarium, if there were you would not be the only one praising it.

If I recall, you had a UV last year that you needed to connect to your tank. did you ever connect that? UV's do work when properly used.

I had ich for ever, tried everything, nothing works without causing fish loses and none of the methods could be administered directly in the reef setup, fish had to be taken out.

Thanks to Darren DNOV99 mentioning on a post to connect the UV directly to your return pump as oppose to a port / manifold connection have I been able to not have to worry about ich for nearly a year.

Do not add any medication related chemicals to reef tank, especially a tank with SPS, you will regret it.

For anyone reading this--Buy a UV, install it on your return line, slow down the flow to the recommended UV flow. Buy a Jebao DC controllable pump if you dont know how to slow down the flow.

Do not connect UV filter to a port on your manifold.

Lastly, you do not need an expensive UV in order for it to work. I own 3 UV's.

I own a lifegard 25w that for years was on a manifold port, never worked.

I own a Jebao 55w which has been connected to the return line and no longer worry about Ich. 55w and replacement bulbs are $15.00

I own a AQUA UV 57w with wiper WHICH I NEVER INSTALLED AND REGRET PURCHASING, IT SITS IN THE BASEMENT REMINDING OF HOW STUPID IT WAS TO SPEND $400++++

JEBAO 55W COST ME $90 I THINK, SHIPPING INCLUDED.

 

[kres1024]

U.v."s are only aid in ick issues ,they are not cures alone!

 

[d5332]

I wont get into a debate over Ich.

The reality is:
We will continue to not quarantine and when we do practically all eventually ended up with Ich unless you own a 20,000 gallon tank and Ich ends up being part of life for the fish.
The reality is that I have not read of any single person having a small tank and not encoutering Ich at some point or another even when taking precautions.

UV filters do not cure Ich, it prevents Ich from reproducing to infestation levels. UV works, keeps fish alive, keeps you from getting upset, keeps you from tearing tanks apart, keeps you from having to own mutliple QT setups solely for Ich purposes.

for those that can turn their home into a large fish room and can QT a fish for 8 weeks and do this for every single item they add to their tank then and maybe then that will be the only tank in the world without Ich, until then UV properly implemtented works.

 

[arnaldolex]

my uv light is always on and like that i still caught ick and lost alot of fish maybe it didnt work maybe its my imagination but i know that my huge naso tang and like 2 more fish were covered to the point that i couldnt c there eyes and it was my first time using this i followed the instructions and within three days everything was gone i also did two 40 gallon water changes theres no need for me to lie maybe i was just lucky since ya say it doesnt work.

 

[arnaldolex]

To the comment about affecting the stony corals am have maybe over 15 stony pieces and about 5 big caps and everything was ok but i only dosed it for 2 days in a row and did 2 water changes now everybody's ok all my fish corals and inverts

 

[kres1024]

To the comment about affecting the stony corals am have maybe over 15 stony pieces and about 5 big caps and everything was ok but i only dosed it for 2 days in a row and did 2 water changes now everybody's ok all my fish corals and inverts

Glad to here your stony corals made it ,you were one of the lucky ones

 

[arnaldolex]

my uv light is connected to my manifold but i put a ball valve on it and have it on a very slow flow is that ok, i dont understand y i would need to put it to anywhere else but should i will it really make a diff

 

[d5332]

The plain reality is that the ich probably fell of the fish and your UV is keeping Ich population low, some fish died, other fish survived.

if there were a cure for Ich fish stores would protect their inventory with it and you would absolutely never ever ever see a fish with Ich in a store and let alone recieve a purchase with Ich, that is if there were a cure.

There is no cure and for what it's worth, I watched a hobbyist lose 4 expensive tangs using that product. Achilles, yellow belly, black and powder blue. The product in question "cured" the fish, after a while the infestation came back with a vengance and he just sat there waiting for this miracle product to work and he waited and he waited.

I am happy it's working for you, I would still keep an eye out for symptoms and maybe move that UV to the return line if its not already there.

 

[arnaldolex]

ok cool well leave it at that lol, but can you explain y it works better on the return compared to the manifold and controled flow sounds interesting to me

 

[d5332]

Sure, here is an explanation.
For the example assume the tank has dual overflows with two drains and two returns.

Typically we create a manifold to get the most out of one single pump. A manifold with a port for each reactor, UV filter, maybe skimmer feed line, you get the point.

We buy a pretty strong return pump in order to have to only own one pump and provide a water supply to all of the auxiliary equipment. I did this as well in addition to buying such a strong pump that it also created enough flow in the display tank that i really did not need wavemakers.

The manifold in the example feeds each port and also returns water to the display tank.

What anyone interested in maximizing their use of an Ultra Violet light filter needs to do is the following:

Give up on trying to use your return pump to create flow in the display tank, use it to return water period.

Decomission your manifold UV port, shut it down, remove UV.

Reconfigure your return plumping and incorporate your UV into the return line. Your return pump feeds water into the UV. Your UV output then feeds water upward into your display tank via each display tank water return. You can use a barb T or PVC T after the water exists the UV filter to plug each of your returns.

There are two ways you can slow down a pump without damaging it.

Before the UV water input put a gate valve to control the flow into the UV return line.
in your manifold, use the decommisioned port to create a loop back, basically have the port dump the water directly into the sump as oppose to just having the portclosed. put a piece of hose and aim it into the sump and secure it.

Another way is to simply swap out your pump for a DC controllable pump and just slow it down to the desired level.

 

[Cu455]

I run my UV's on a separate small pump. The water goes from the end of the sump through the UV to the beginning of the sump. Kind of the same idea as a recirculating skimmer.

D5332, What is your flow rate through the UV?

 

[d5332]

Lowest setting on a Jebao DC12000 which is about 800 gph feeding a manifold that supports two reactors.

I would have to estimate that the water going through the UV is 200gph to 400gph max becaause I have a gate valve on the UV inlet only half way open.

My return line does what the name implies, it returns water to the display tank. My return line no longer generates significant water movement in the display tank.

I run my UV's on a separate small pump. The water goes from the end of the sump through the UV to the beginning of the sump. Kind of the same idea as a recirculating skimmer.

D5332, What is your flow rate through the UV?

 

[kres1024]

ok cool well leave it at that lol, but can you explain y it works better on the return compared to the manifold and controled flow sounds interesting to me

Stick with your manifold and just dial in your uv to its proper flow

 

[arnaldolex]

I also have a dc 1200 with a manifold with 3 ball valves on it so am getting the 200 gph when I tune down the flow on the uv port. I thought it was diff if I put the uv on the overflow return bit it's the same thing your concern was only to get the proper amount of flow threw the uv and I am but thanks for the information in this Hobbie it's all useful

 

[d5332]

kres1024, what you suggest does not work. I tried it for years to the point I gave up on UV filters.

I got my advice from DNOV99, on any given year he keeps fish worth more than your tank and my tank put together. His four figure fish stay alive and Ich is not an issue but you can argue all you want because I am not getting into it.

Stick with your manifold and just dial in your uv to its proper flow

 

[d5332]

Its not the same to have the UV on a UV port as opposed to the return line.

On a port only some of the water passes through the UV.

On the return line ALL of the water is forced to flow through the UV light before it returns to your display tank.

Then End.

I also have a dc 1200 with a manifold with 3 ball valves on it so am getting the 200 gph when I tune down the flow on the uv port. I thought it was diff if I put the uv on the overflow return bit it's the same thing your concern was only to get the proper amount of flow threw the uv and I am but thanks for the information in this Hobbie it's all useful

 

[kres1024]

kres1024, what you suggest does not work. I tried it for years to the point I gave up on UV filters.

I got my advice from DNOV99, on any given year he keeps fish worth more than your tank and my tank put together. His four figure fish stay alive and Ich is not an issue but you can argue all you want because I am not getting into it.

I'm doing it now and have been for years my self ,with the uv dialed to what I want it for and works perfectly