Amyloodinium (Velvet) advice?

[SMaggart]

@SMaggart I would switch to a Seachem or Salifert copper test kit for more accurate readings when using Cupramine. Especially since you are treating with rock & sand in the tank; rock in particular will absorb copper. Maintaining a therapeutic range (0.35-0.5ppm) is essential to eradicating the parasites.

DO NOT use Prime (or any other ammonia reducer) with copper. Also, the presence of copper is likely throwing off your nitrate and any other liquid test reading.

Thank you!!!!!

 

[code4]

Hope all your fish are well. ☺. I ended up throwing out all my rocks and sand after copper got in them. Never could totally get rid of it.

 

[JaaxReef]

Another thing to mention is that Velvet tomonts and dinospores (the stage when not on the fish) are photosynthetic, it's reproduction is increased with light. I would recommend keeping your lights off or reducing the photo period greatly while treating the tank.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

[SMaggart]

Update:
Thank you for the well wishes & great information. My light is off at night & the LED deep blue is all the light Im giving during the day. 5 Days ago I added the 3 Cuprisorb bags to my sump to begin extracting the copper. I also started adding the Stresscoat & stress guard. Today all 3 bags look aqua blue in color & I'm realizing I'm probably going to need a lot more cuprisorb! Ordering today... I only have 3 survivors. The fish expert at my local store told me it will take at least 2 weeks waiting period "after" my tests show 0.0 copper, before I can begin to rebuild my fish family. Today I'm going to gently run my fingers through the sand & move my rock around in hopes to get any copper out of the deeper sand floor. Hoping I won't have to trash my rock & sand... My tank is 180 gal. I'll be leaving a bag to continue absorbing any copper lingering... I pray nobody else gets this awful disease. I will not buy another Tang ever again! Not worth it. Quite an education. I'll update soon...

 

[code4]

I hope you do get all the copper out. But if not, save some of the rocks for treating fish in the future if needed. I wish I had saved some for my fish only observation tank. My tank is 140 gallons, quite a loss in sand and live rocks.

Good luck!

Shelley

 

[SMaggart]

I hope you do get all the copper out. But if not, save some of the rocks for treating fish in the future if needed. I wish I had saved some for my fish only observation tank. My tank is 140 gallons, quite a loss in sand and live rocks.

Good luck!

I called Seachem customer service to inquire about the rock & sand. The tech support lady was very informative & knowledgeable... she told me that Seachem Cuprimine is formulated with molecules that protect the rock & bed of aquariums from copper penetration. Once my copper test shows 0.0 I can safely add fish a week later.
Do not add stress coat or stress guard UNTIL your tests show 0.0! Otherwise those products WILL break down the protective molecules & copper can then penetrate the rock etc. Treatment for that mistake would cost an additional 2 weeks using Cuprisorb to keep pulling broken down copper. Hope this helps anyone with Velvet treating their tank...

 

[code4]

I had a copper fitting that introduced copper into my tank. Darling hubby did not know better. And I just trusted him as always. Glad that there is hope for you. And I kept my darling hubby.