Might Nuke my 240g FOWLR - Ick

[NeuroticAquatics]

My 240g FOWLR has Ich after doing a 90+day fallow and QTing all fish (treating with Cupramine). I have 13 fish and pulling them into my 55 QT is not an option, as I do not see that working. I have decided that I am going to just treat the DT. There are no corals. There are no inverts. There is Chaeto in the sump and I’m guessing that pods will die off with copper. Are there any words of wisdom in a situation like this? Anything I should expect and prepare for? I’m guessing there will be some kind of spike due to the pod die-off.

Any advice is greatly appreciated. I’ve never done a large scale treatment like this, so I am a little worried.

 

[Frtdrmrose7]

Your rock and sand will absorb copper and make maintaining levels difficult. That being said getting the copper back out of the rock could be difficult and time consuming.

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

I’m not planning to ever use this tank as a reef, so I think filtration and water changes will eventually grab most of the copper.

I figure that maintaining copper levels will be tricky. I may try to grab a couple of the fish that don’t look great and get them into my bare bottom QT so that they get into therapeutic levels faster. They are all eating, so that is good but a couple are covered and from past experience, when they get bad, they typically don’t tough it out and recover.

 

[ngoodermuth]

I think the biggest danger in a tank that size... is actually going to be the leaching that happens after the absorption.

As mentioned, the rock and sand will absorb it initially... so you will have to keep adding copper to maintain the therapeutic level... then when the rock has absorbed as much as it can, it may start to leach back out causing the copper level to spike ABOVE therapeutic. With that much rock to consider, the level may rise pretty dramatically - and become toxic.

I think, if you are going to do it... I would remove as much rock as possible first. Pack it in a brute with a powerhead and heater and let it go fallow that way... for as long as needed.

That way you go through less copper getting it therapeutic... and have less risk of significant leaching once the rock has taken in as much as it can. It will also reduce the risk of ammonia caused by die-off from the rock itself.

 

[Big G]

+1 ^^^

 

[NeuroticAquatics]

I’m liking that idea (as much as I hate having to go this way).

The other possibility that I am now considering is trying to sell some of the fish to local enthusiasts that I know do not QT and that I know do Ich management. If I can get my stock list down to half of what I currently have, a 55g might work with water changes.