FarmerTy

No problem sir. The TTM method is actually pretty easy as far as treatment goes. You just move the fish 3 times in 12 days and don't use any of the same equipment. No chemicals at all. I'll let you guys know how it goes. I'll be doing this after the January meeting at my place.

The best way to have no ich in the system is strict QT of all additions and if you want to be sure, remove all fish and treat them for ich while leaving the tank fallow 76 days. I will be employing a modified version of the tank transfer method (TTM) for treatment. Quick summary, you basically move the fish every 72 hrs from one tank to the other, doing your best to minimize water transfer and not use any of the same equipment between the two tanks. Once transferred to the other tank, the original one is dried, cleaned with bleach or vinegar, and then reused for the next tank transfer. You do this every 72 hrs for 12 days and presto, no more ich. It interrupts their life cycle so once the parasite drops off the fish and starts to encyst, you would have removed your fish to the other tank by then and so there are never any hosts left to continue the life cycle process. My modified version will include my giant UV sterilizer and instead of using new water each time, I will be passing all water through the UV to kill any ich and save time/trouble/money in the process.

No on all fronts. Medicated food generally uses chloroquine phosphate or some derivative of it, which has a metallic taste and is usually not favored by most fish. Assuming you get a fish to eat it, which I have, there are no studies to show that ingestion of chloroquine phosphate would inhibit infection from ich. That and, potentially to be effective, you'd have to maintain a certain concentration in the bloodstream and that would be difficult to achieve or to maintain. I've treated with chloroquine phosphate as a treatment for the water in a separate hospital tank before and that was effective. What you might be able to achieve is what most refer to as ich management. Where you assist in the immune response to ich and keep the outbreaks low. The population will stay small in the tank and though it will always reside in your tank, flare ups will be infrequent and really only when the health of a fish has been compromised or stressful situations. The medicated food may assist in that. Cleaner shrimps do nothing for ich as the parasite is actually under the skin. Once you see the spots, it has more than likely broken the skin and moved out of the host to encyst on live rock or other hard surface to repeat the life cycle. The shrimp will clean up the broken skin or scales. I've actually read a study where the contents of cleaner shrimp stomachs were examined and they have yet to find ich parasites within them.

Oh no! Not a new member! Just kidding. Please come on by and join in on the festivities. It's a good way to put faces to screen names.

Awesome! I think I'll get that giant eel you have! [emoji12]

Does anybody know if the 50% off livestock today with a can of food for donation includes coral? Or is that just fish?

Kevin, Here are my results of testing your water: Alk - 7.6 dKh Ca - 440 ppm Mg - 1300 ppm All parameters seem in line with just the alk a tad lower than what I like to run at 8 dKh but 7.6 dKh is perfectly fine. I would shut off all dosing for a day and stop running kalk in your ATO to see what your true consumption in a day is. Then, based off of that, kick your dosing back online to compensate for the daily uptake rate of your tank. I believe you mentioned you were reading the BRS dosing instructions incorrectly and have remedied that already. I'd like to also caution to dose alk and Ca at different times of the day so you are not allowing them to react directly and precipitate out. I haven't used 2-part in awhile but perhaps at least an hour apart sounds safe... For instance, dose alk at 10am, then dose Ca at 11am. One thing that you'll want to remedy though is your salinity. I tested it with my digital refractometer and it was at 1.029. I'd gradually lower it by mixing your new saltwater at a lower salinity until you've brought it down to 1.024-1.026. Hope that helps!

I've never run the RW models but I have seen them in action. I chose to stick with the WP models because I needed the more direct flow to program my gyre flows and clean out modes with my Apex. I would say if you're choosing between the two, keep the water flow patterns in mind for what you want to achieve. I'd definitely be using the RW series if I plan to add any pumps on the back wall as a Vortech-like spread flow would be more ideal in my tank in that configuration. For the 6' span that I need a more directed, focused flow, the WP works brilliantly.

Man, half those tables were gone within the first hour! They were too good of deals to pass up! I'm the lame guy who stocked up on tiger conchs, urchins, a heater and tongs for the frag tank, prime, and salt. I did snag a nice little SPS frag (big surprise) that I'll post pictures of once I get a chance to snap some with the lights on. Oh yeah, I did score a hot dog, kolache, and some cookies as well. I'm pretty sure I'm going to win the biocube raffle as well. Just go ahead and pull my ticket out Jake and let me know when to come by and pick it up.

Oh no! I DVR'ed the game too and hadn't watched it yet! Just kidding! Great move AND I got stung by a RBTA for the first time in my life. I've been grabbing them for years with no issues. Dave, I'm pretty sure you trained them to sting me.

Welcome to the club and also Austin! At least setup the 12-gallon in the interim... it'll be an easy one to move!

Good score!

At that size, we're definitely not talking about bristle worms anymore. There are plenty of predatory worms out there for sure.

Oh man, 11am can't come soon enough!

Agreed!Thanks for the link to Kate's work Jolt!

Potentially so. Either case, it's cause for more research and more planning! To the acromobile!

Uh, first off, you need to say, holy crap, I got a bandit angel whenever mentioning you just got an angel. It's like saying you just got a car versus you just got a Lamborghini! Beautiful!

Oh dang it, I'll have to do more research!

He's got a nice straight shot to the final resting spot of the tank. Going to be one of the easier tank lifting parties.

I'll definitely be there tomorrow to get a box of salt. I'll have to sit tonight out. I have a hot date with my wife to setup the Christmas tree. [emoji41]I'll be there right before they open and stand in line for some goodies. Then book it over to Dave's to help move his tank.

I'm starting to think if I'm doing these dips anyways, to have all my acros sitting in a QT tank after each dip. That way, if there is anything I'm missing and there are actually AEFW swimming around in my DT (it's been observed that they can/will swim the water column after just hatching), I can starve them out and eliminate any chances of the dreaded AEFW. I'm contemplating running a tub beside my tank, throwing all my acros in it, running tankwater into it and letting it drain back into my sump. On the drain back to my tub, have my overpowered UV on it so that it'll kill any waterborne AEFW larvae that may be going through there, as they only swim the water column when first born. This is helpful because the larvae will be small enough to be irradiated by the UV. That'll allow me to keep stable parameters for the last 2 dips and leave the tank "fallow" for up to 3 weeks to let any potential stragglers in the DT to starve to death as they will die with 5-7 days without a host. Now to get a tub, or maybe get my tub back. Ol' Aggie, I'm coming for you!

A nice bottle of scotch and you've got a deal. Ty, how about you come over today and help me aquascape the pool? For a bottle of Yamazaki, I'll LET him throw me in the pool. [emoji16] Now we are talking. Ok, next aquascape is after 5 pm with a glass of Yamazaki I think I got scammed for the first one then!

A nice bottle of scotch and you've got a deal. Ty, how about you come over today and help me aquascape the pool? For a bottle of Yamazaki, I'll LET him throw me in the pool. [emoji16]

That's wicked awesome! Thanks for sharing Jake!

Wait a minute. When did I agree to that? Must have been while I was doing all the heavy lifting and you were giving your opinion. I've got 75 seconds of video of you telling me I told you so. I don't think I need any further reminder. It's called consulting! Stand back and advise. [emoji13]