[JUNRL]

i JUST GOT MY 75 GAL TANK BACK TO SG=1.020 AFTER 5 WEEKS AT 1.009 (HYPOSALINE STATE). tHE ORIGINAL RESIDENTS ( 3 SMALL CLOWNS, 3 DOMINOES, 1 CHEVRON BUTTERFLY AND 1 MED. MAROON CLOWN) ARE ALL DOING GREAT. i FIGURED THE ICH IS GONE SO I THOUGHT OF ADDING A COUPLE OF FISH, SO I BOUGHT A LONG NOSE BUTTERFLY AND A SMALL HENIOCHUS (I THINK?). i GAVE BOTH OF THEM A 10 MIN. FWD BEFORE INTRODUCING THEM TO THE MAIN TANK (UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE NO QT). aFTER 1 DAY, THE TWO STARTED TO HAVE WHITE SPOTS BUT THE ORIGINAL RESIDENTS ARE STILL OK...

DOES THIS MEAN THE FWD DID NOT WORK?
ARE THERE STILL ICH CYSTS EVEN AFTER 5 WEEKS AT OST:
ARE THESE WHITE SPOTS SIGN OF THE RETURN OF THE DREADED ICH?
WILL I GO BACK TO HYPOSALINE STATE AGAIN
WILL MY ORIGINAL RESIDENTS BE INFECTED IF I DON'T?
PLS. HELP

[Triggers]

i have used the hypo treatment in the past . seams to work for awhile then the same fish will contact again.
if you have a large tank it is expensive and timely.
i have chosen not to take that approach again.
still have not fully raised sg to normal and its been 3 months.
time and money a factor.

i have since been maintaining a light copper level in there and seems to work nicely.

[JUNRL]

THANKS.
may i know how long you maintained your tank under ost condition?
cause i'd still like to give this process the benifit of the doubt (learning the hard way) but appreciate your concern and i'll keep this in mind. about reverting back to normal SG, i just used a pack of salt mixture available here and dissolved it in about 2 to 3 gal H2O to make a concentrated solution. then improvised a 1 lit. container, air hose and a cheap plastic air regulator and allow the concentrate to drip, checking SG every 12 hrs. estimate the process to last a week. salt mixture here is not too expensive. i was able to raise SG from 1.011 to 1.02 using just a pack.
but if you say that ich made a comeback, i'm now having second thought.
right now, i just got my tank is under ost state again, just before i read your reply. i was worried that my original tank residents might contract the ich again. will keep u informed.
i'm just on my 4th month of experience in salt water keeping.
thanks again

[Triggers]

the best thing is to find out why the ick is present. and do away with what is making them stay.
problem is , some fish (raccoon bf and hippo tang that come to mind)
seem to atrack these parasite more frequently than other fish i have kept. now i'm thinking that the parasistes are present but for some reason do not latch onto other fish as often. i dont know just a guess.

the drip method is the best idea i can think off. not sure how large your tank is.
the problem with this method is 2 part.
one if the sg is not low enough 1009 i believe it will not kill all the parasites.
2nd is if it goes lower than 1009 it can cause harm to the fish.
sort of a fine line.

b/c of my raccoon bf i am going to maintain a low copper concentration in the water to prevent future outbreaks.
good luck

[JUNRL]

your so right about the fine line bet. 1.009 & 1.008. i borrowed my cousin's refractometer to be sure i stay at 1.009. hope this process works. have a 75 gal tank
about copper treatment, it's probably my last resort but as much as possible, no copper.
thanks a million
jun