[crete456]

Hello...well here we go again...I'm about at my wits end...after having an outbreak of ick when i first set up my tank and treating with copper in my display tank, its back...Lee gave me some advice which i followed by breaking down my display tank and cleaning and starting all over to remove the copper which worked great...i kept a few damsels and added bio-spira(not to impressed with this product ammonia dropped dramatically since i added it a week ago but the nitrites are very high,a waste of $) to cycle my tank...but now the ick is back(faint white spots only on the fins)...im going to get a 10gal QT to treat the damsels and for any further fish purchases i might make in the future...how long should i treat my fish in the QT with seacure...and how do i go about cycling the QT,I heard sponge filters are quick, can you suggest one, and what is the time table for cycling, my display tank took 8 wks to cycle, i'm afraid my damsels wont last that long...also how do i get ride of the ick in my display tank...thanks crete( never to go without quarantining a fish i buy again!!!)...I don't want to go through this again...happy 4th to all
P.S. you all have been sooooooooooooo helpful

[leebca]

Sorry to hear of your troubles. I'm counting on you knowing that it is in fact Marine Ich (Cryptocaryon irritans), so I am counting on that for the proper diagnosis.

Taking your post in order, I would comment on these things:
1. The nitrification process is given a boost by Bio-Spira and a few other bacteria additives. I have usually found that the bacteria responsible for converting ammonia to nitrite to be quickly established. The bacteria that convert nitrite to nitrates can take longer to establish themselves and take care of the available nitrites.

2. I'm not familiar with Seacure. Follow the directions on the medication. If you still have a choice, I'd recommend using Seachem's Cupramine for a copper treatment (for the reasons given in the below referenced post). You'll find more information about this and about copper treatments in general, in the post I put up:
Copper - Treatment, Use, Problems

3. You do have another (actually two) option and that is to treat with a hyposalinity treatment. This is a reference for that treatment:
http://www.petsforum.com/personal/tr...osalinity.html

Once the fish are removed to a hospital/treating/quarantine tank, leave your display tank fishless for 8 weeks or longer. Keep salinity where it belongs, temperature steady, and pH steady. Keep everything as it should be, just as if the fish were still there.

The Marine Ich parasite can't live without a host and although most will die within 6 weeks, a few stragglers can hang around in your display tank. After 8 weeks your fishless display tank will be totally free of Marine Ich. During this 8 weeks, don't add any livestock (including live sand, live rock, corals, invertebrates, etc.) to the aquarium. Just let it mellow out. Add food to the display to keep the bacteria alive and happy.

Hold the fish in your treatment tank until it is absolutely sure the fish are free of Marine Ich. It takes time and patience, but it can be done.

You're in a spot not having a healthy, active biological filter to fall back on. Not much can be done about that. Any sponge filter will work. Just find it in the store or online. Use one for every 15 gallons of hospital tank you have. Use two if you want. They won't go to waste and they are inexpensive.

Under the circumstances the sponge filters will not help out much until near the end of the cure and waiting period. But it is worthwhile to begin using them now.

There are some chemical media, such as Algone, which do a fair job at controlling ammonia and nitrite levels chemically while the biological filter gets a grip on things.

What you'll need to do is make many water changes, probably at least two per day, to control the ammonia and nitrites in the hospital tank.

Don't forget to monitor pH closely in your hospital tank. Measure it at least twice per day, keep it steady and in the right range.

Ask if you have any other questions, crete.