Hyposalinity

[AJ]

What sort of Specific Gravity should I be looking to achieve to kill ich?  Also, will this kill my corals?  It's not too big of a deal since I just have a few small frags.

[Viggen]

yea.... hypo will kill corals, all inverts (well at least 95% of them) etc.

If possible I would setup a extra tank to do the QT duties in.... and let your main tank remain empty of fish.  I have a extra 150g rubbermaid tub you are more then welcome to use during this process.....

If I recall salinity needs to be in the 1.008-1.009 to be affective and it needs to be there for a while.... I think its 2 months

When I did hypo some of my fish didn't do so great with the treatment..... I lost a few

[Travis8896]

Your spot on with the levels viggen

[Viggen]

o yea.... you must use a refractometer to do this..... not the el cheapo hydrometer for this

under 1.008 most state will kill the fish
over 1.009 will not kill the ich

[AJ]

We have now had the fish in a 50gl QT.  We are slowly lowering, but a gentleman at Gerber's saltwater said that they (at the store) only lower salinity to 1.019 and raise temp to 84? Any suggestions against this theory?

[Viggen]

If you are going to use copper..... You can go to 1.019 or keep it where it is.....

If doing hypo treatment the only way it will kill ich is if the salinity is between 1.008 and 1.009

If you go below 1.008 you fish can and die..... Above 1.009 and the ich will not die

You can lower salinity very quickly.... Like within a day or so.....

Once hypo is done, you need to take a week or so to increase salinity

Temp should not be increased!

[AJ]

So how do you get the salinity perfectly between those two numbers and keep them there? Meaning while in the process more than likely we are to lose water.

[Viggen]

You just have to test the water.  A standard el cheapo hydrometer will not work, it isn't accurate enough

You must use a refractometer

When I did hypo someone on this forum duggested replacing half of the tanks water with 100% freshwater..... That got me close then I had to lower it a bit more if I recall. 


Yes water will evaporate you you must keep it topped off so it doesn't fluctuate mucho fat all.  The more it fluctuates the harder it is to kill ich.... Depending on your setup you might need to top it off every morning and evening....

I also didn't after changes every few days to help keep the parameters in check

[AJ]

Thanks Viggen, we have ordered a refractometer and it is to be here on Tuesday. I figured doing a little bit at a time until it comes should be fine.