New to hobby. Tank crashed.

[neopode]

Hey all I need some advice.

My tank recently caught some some kind of fish disease (I think either velvet or brook) and killed every fish in my tank (even the ones I tried to move to the quarantine tank with cupramine).

I'm about 10 weeks into the hobby with some corals left in my display tank. I need some advice for the next steps.

How long to keep my DT fallow?

How to keep the nitrifying/good bacteria alive during this fallow period?

How to keep my coral alive?

How to make sure the nuance algae don't take over the tank?

Or should I just get rid of the coral and start over?

Your input is greatly appreciated

 

[Syntax1235]

There’s a lot of good information on the Fish Disease forum, check it out.

I recently had to go fallow, it is a 76 day period at normal tank temp. As for the corals, keep
an eye on nitrate and phosphate and don’t let them hit zero. You can dose nitrate and phosphate if needed, again, lots of info on that here.

You can add inverts now and essentially you will qt them due to no fish for 76 days. Maybe get a couple shrimp so you have something to watch.

Nitrifying bacteria will be fine for months without food. Once cycled you are good.

Good luck

 

[Tamberav]

Hey all I need some advice.

My tank recently caught some some kind of fish disease (I think either velvet or brook) and killed every fish in my tank (even the ones I tried to move to the quarantine tank with cupramine).

I'm about 10 weeks into the hobby with some corals left in my display tank. I need some advice for the next steps.

How long to keep my DT fallow?

How to keep the nitrifying/good bacteria alive during this fallow period?

How to keep my coral alive?

How to make sure the nuance algae don't take over the tank?

Or should I just get rid of the coral and start over?

Your input is greatly appreciated

45 days minimum at 81 degrees.

Coral do not need fish to survive, bacteria do not either. CUC poop, worm poop, coral poop, even skin cells in the air landing in your tank feed bacteria. People keep reefs in 2g jars without fish.

When I had a fishless tank I fed Reef Eneergy AB+ all in one coral food. Just so the tank would get some sort of food and nutrients added daily. LPS tend to like meaty food like mysis target fed to them.

You keep algae away with good maintenances and a clean up crew. Again, fish don't matter.

No reason to start over.