Black Ich

[nooncat]

I know there is a sticky but it seems to be inactive. So heres my question.


When making your main tank host free to break up the parasite cycle could you take the water out completely, store it and dry out the sand where the Ich lives. Would that speed up their life cycle to a few days? I am experiencing an ich problem and have moved my fish to another tank filled with the main tanks water and running my canister filter from the main tank with a UV light. So far its been about two weeks and the fish are fine and ich free. Its just that it is tough to judge how long to wait untill reintroducing the fish into the main tank.

[leebca]

IMO always better to start a new thread than to attach a post to an old sticky.

This is what I've replied to your post on the sticky:

You could totally breakdown your system and dry it out. But if you miss a drop, it would all be for nothing. EVERYTHING would have to be dried -- equipment, plumbing, landscaping, etc. If you have live sand or live rock, that would 'kill' the invertebrates and most lower marine life forms, although the bacteria will likely survive.

[nooncat]

great thanks for the tip. its been drying for about 2 days so far and I even had a hair dryer in there, as well as sopping up puddles with towels. No live rock so thats not a problem and all other equipment is with the temp tank. The only "iffy" thing is the water its self but, the fish show no sign of ich in the last two weeks so I am hoping all remaining parasites are in the sediment. I stored the remaining water that wouldn't fit in the temp tank I have in a storage unit I use to make my new saltwater.

Maybe when adding the remaining water I will do it slowly so that the UV light can catch up and get any remaining free swimming parasites. Unless you think that shouldnt be a problem. When I syphoned the water out I did it from the highest level possible trying not to disturb the sand, hopefully that wasn't all for nothing. I dont want to change to much of their water at once. Hope that makes sense and thanks for the help.

[leebca]

The most conservative and safe approach is to leave the tank fishless for at least 8 weeks.