How Long For Fallow?

[EliMelly]

Hello,

I recently had ich and possibly velvet in my tank. I took out all the fish and had them QT. I have now had the tank sit empty for 51 days and was wondering how many more days I should leave it empty for before adding fish back in as well as if there is anything else I need to do.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

Thanks!

 

[Lavey29]

I think you have fallow long enough but still would go to 60 days. I did 76 to be safe. 76 was the old guidelines.

 

[EliMelly]

Ok do I need to do anything else or that’s it?

I think you have fallow long enough but still would go to 60 days. I did 76 to be safe. 76 was the old guidelines.

 

[Uncle99]

I just did the 76.
Longer is better.

 

[threebuoys]

6 - 8 weeks is more than adequate.

45 Day Fallow periods

I've been doing some research into the "76 day fallow period". I never heard of that prior to coming to Reef2Reef this past summer. I had always used 32 days as the maximum time for a tomont to remain viable under tropical conditions, and then I would round up to 45 days to help ensure that...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hello,

I recently had ich and possibly velvet in my tank. I took out all the fish and had them QT. I have now had the tank sit empty for 51 days and was wondering how many more days I should leave it empty for before adding fish back in as well as if there is anything else I need to do.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

Thanks!

6-8 weeks recommended and at week 4, do a siphoning of bedding to remove any dead protozoans

 

[Fish Fan]

6 - 8 weeks is more than adequate.

45 Day Fallow periods

I've been doing some research into the "76 day fallow period". I never heard of that prior to coming to Reef2Reef this past summer. I had always used 32 days as the maximum time for a tomont to remain viable under tropical conditions, and then I would round up to 45 days to help ensure that...

www.reef2reef.com

Is the same time frame advised if I'm holding motile inverts in a fishless tank before transferring them to my display tanks? I guess it would, right? I have been shooting for as long as 90 days because I see some conflicting information about how long to keep a fallow tank fallow.

Thank you for your help!

 

[MnFish1]

Hello,

I recently had ich and possibly velvet in my tank. I took out all the fish and had them QT. I have now had the tank sit empty for 51 days and was wondering how many more days I should leave it empty for before adding fish back in as well as if there is anything else I need to do.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

Thanks!

I recommend 6-8 weeks (I personally would do 8 weeks - i.e. about 60 days). It would be surprising to have both ich and velvet active infections. Hope everything is under control!! I had a velvet outbreak that killed multiple fish - Just due to the trauma, I left the tank fallow for 5 months. In the mean time - I would focus on what you're going to do to prevent future infections/problems such as this

 

[eecummins]

be sure to stir up any low oxygen regions of your dt whilst going fallow for ich: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0044848617315892

 

[MnFish1]

be sure to stir up any low oxygen regions of your dt whilst going fallow for ich: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0044848617315892

Especially if you have invertebrates - I.e. coral - I'm not sure this is good advice. This study has a couple issues - first - not sure it's been repeated - second the temperatures involved.

 

[MnFish1]

IN any case - it sets up an impossible condition - there is no way - that any aquarist can remove/eliminate anaerobic areas. So - it becomes IMHO - a moot point

 

[Jay Hemdal Verified Community Expert]

Hello,

I recently had ich and possibly velvet in my tank. I took out all the fish and had them QT. I have now had the tank sit empty for 51 days and was wondering how many more days I should leave it empty for before adding fish back in as well as if there is anything else I need to do.

@vetteguy53081 @Jay Hemdal

Thanks!

60 days is long enough. Velvet’s resting stage is not as long-lived as ich’s is. Some people go as short as 21 days, but I think that is ill advised.

 

[EliMelly]

I recommend 6-8 weeks (I personally would do 8 weeks - i.e. about 60 days). It would be surprising to have both ich and velvet active infections. Hope everything is under control!! I had a velvet outbreak that killed multiple fish - Just due to the trauma, I left the tank fallow for 5 months. In the mean time - I would focus on what you're going to do to prevent future infections/problems such as this

QT everything haha

 

[EliMelly]

So to ask again should I do anything other than let tank sit empty???

Especially if you have invertebrates - I.e. coral - I'm not sure this is good advice. This study has a couple issues - first - not sure it's been repeated - second the temperatures involved.

 

[Lavey29]

So to ask again should I do anything other than let tank sit empty???

Dream of what it will look like once again

 

[eecummins]

IN any case - it sets up an impossible condition - there is no way - that any aquarist can remove/eliminate anaerobic areas. So - it becomes IMHO - a moot point

you cannot stir up the sand? or use a wavemaker in a deep sump or to blow out thick rocks?

there is no 100 percent but always things you can do to tilt the odds more in your favour

 

[EliMelly]

Dream of what it will look like once again

Perfect that’s exactly what I’ve been doing

 

[MnFish1]

you cannot stir up the sand? or use a wavemaker in a deep sump or to blow out thick rocks?

there is no 100 percent but always things you can do to tilt the odds more in your favour

Sorry I guess I wasn't clear. I would not be concerned about ich and anaerobic areas, since, there is no way to get rid of all of them. Good flow, etc has many benefits to the tank outside of ich and anaerobic areas.