Tanktified
New Member
What is the fastest way to completely clear Marine Ich from an empty DT where Ich broke out after fully cured base live rock (LR with little life of interest) was introduced. The fish are undergoing tank transfer Ich treatment with 3 days x 4 transfers and should be cleared of Ich in about two weeks.
Due to the longer life cycle of the Marine Ich Protozoa in the tank substrate, rock, skimmer, and filter, the fish cannot be placed back in the original tank for another two to four additional weeks unless the empty DT can be cleared more quickly.
One idea is to run the tank temperature up to, say, 98.6F while it is empty. It is not clear to me that this will automatically accelerate the life cycle, and could instead cause the Ich to encapsulate and remain longer. The filter bacteria should not be harmed by the mildly elevated temperature (am I wrong?), but would need to be fed some ammonia to keep the population up.
Another idea I have is to reintroduce the fish in two weeks with the tank equipped with my as yet unused 36W CoralLife UV sterilizer (low pressure bulb). This would hit the 1 Watt per gallon rule of thumb for Level 2 sterilization in this 33 gallon tank where a return flow rate from the sump is about 100G/H providing volume turnover 3 times/h. My understanding is that the UV will not be a 100% kill and may not prevent reinfestation, so I'm not sure this would work.
Any other suggestions? My main goal is to avoid over stressing the fish (2x3") and myself by keeping fish 2-4 weeks longer than necessary in a tank with only large water changes to keep ammonia under control.
Due to the longer life cycle of the Marine Ich Protozoa in the tank substrate, rock, skimmer, and filter, the fish cannot be placed back in the original tank for another two to four additional weeks unless the empty DT can be cleared more quickly.
One idea is to run the tank temperature up to, say, 98.6F while it is empty. It is not clear to me that this will automatically accelerate the life cycle, and could instead cause the Ich to encapsulate and remain longer. The filter bacteria should not be harmed by the mildly elevated temperature (am I wrong?), but would need to be fed some ammonia to keep the population up.
Another idea I have is to reintroduce the fish in two weeks with the tank equipped with my as yet unused 36W CoralLife UV sterilizer (low pressure bulb). This would hit the 1 Watt per gallon rule of thumb for Level 2 sterilization in this 33 gallon tank where a return flow rate from the sump is about 100G/H providing volume turnover 3 times/h. My understanding is that the UV will not be a 100% kill and may not prevent reinfestation, so I'm not sure this would work.
Any other suggestions? My main goal is to avoid over stressing the fish (2x3") and myself by keeping fish 2-4 weeks longer than necessary in a tank with only large water changes to keep ammonia under control.