Urgent advice needed

[homesick fisho]

Have kept my 4 ft DT ich free over last 5 months but in a moment of stupidity blew it all away with a new fish purchase.

Going to buy a 2 ft tonight for possible use as a Hospital Tank but would really lke to down size my DT due to large water use, space requirements etc.

The question is. Can I move my live rock and corals over to the new tank filled with new salt water without fear of carrying this pest into the new tank?

I would then treat copper in the 4 ft for six weeks, transfer the fish and sell the 4 ft after scrubbing the hell out of it

More related questions: My current DT is barebottom. When the parasite goes back into the substrate does this mean just sand / gravel or rock as well?

Does going BB have any impact on the lifecycle of itch?

If the parasite is free swimming it would stand to reason that some of it would be trappped in the porous structure of the rock and come along for the ride yes / no?

Keen to hear answers. I'm going OS in a few days and my wife has to deal with whatever path I choose.

Thanks in advance.

[vickiNaz]

How old is your tank?

[PRDubois]

I would put your fish in a large rubbermaid container with a poverhead and heater and treat them there.

Ick can be in the sand or the rock.
Once you move the fish out you need to let the large tank sit for 6 weeks at 80deg.

After the six weeks is up then move your rock and sand if you want it to the new tank. Using the water from the large tank you can put in the fish the day of the move if the water prams match.

If your sand is older then a few months you should rinse it out using tap water in a 5 gal bucket.

[homesick fisho]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15014769#post15014769 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vickiNaz
How old is your tank?

5 months

[homesick fisho]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15014789#post15014789 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PRDubois
I would put your fish in a large rubbermaid container with a poverhead and heater and treat them there.

Ick can be in the sand or the rock.
Once you move the fish out you need to let the large tank sit for 6 weeks at 80deg.

After the six weeks is up then move your rock and sand if you want it to the new tank. Using the water from the large tank you can put in the fish the day of the move if the water prams match.

If your sand is older then a few months you should rinse it out using tap water in a 5 gal bucket.

No sand, running BB.

The thought struck me that if I do move the live rock and coral across to a 2 ft tank and treat ich in the 4 ft that the 2 ft would be fallow for six weeks anyway. The rock is good and there should not be much of a cycle. Want to also go BB in the 2 ft.

The 4 ft was a little under rocked in the first place so it should all fit nicely.

[PRDubois]

If you treat in the 4 ft then when done:

Then add enough muriatic acid, obtainable at a swimming pool supply store, to the old QT to make about a 25% solution. Let it soak overnight and then rinse it well. That will remove the copper.

Also, you will need a heater in both. The tank with the rock needs to be 80deg or higher for the six weeks

[homesick fisho]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15014848#post15014848 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PRDubois

Also, you will need a heater in both. The tank with the rock needs to be 80deg or higher for the six weeks

I have a heater here, it's called the tropical sun :D
The problem is staying cool not keeping warm. My tank runs around the 80 mark with no heater with lights / pumps etc and is kept in check by the aircon.

Still not sure what to do here, don't really want to even put ich into a new tank for a minute let alone six weeks. Transferring the rock and coral though and treating in the 4 ft would alleviate the problem of catching the fish though.

The rubbermaid idea is an option but evaporation and water changes would be a big issue in my absence.

Does copper kill off the biological filter? If I throw some bio rings in the sump of the 4 ft (with the rock gone I would basically have a FO tank and if nitrate raises a little no great problem.

This tank has an ATO and should be largely trouble free other than checking the copper concentration (wife can manage this).

What I can't expect her to do is daily water changes in a rubbermaid.

Arrrrrghhhh one munute of stupidity. Others take notice!