Tank Transfer Method

[melypr1985]

Ok so 12 days must PASS so I'll have to do one more transfer any time between 12 hours and 72 hours after the 4th (the one on the 12th).

Yes, exactly.

 

[Chitown tom]

Petco has a 30% off sale this weekend. I had 2 spare 10 gallons and I couldn't resist lol.
I picked up a power brown tang.

The powder brown has no visible signs of ich but it is a tang, and it came from Petco lol.

I have decided to do TTM on him and treat with prazi on the 2 & 4th move.

I work late on Mondays and will not be able to get home before the 72 hours expire so I read thru this whole thread and came up with this schedule. I am not sure if this will work or if I need an additional transfer because of the shortened window on transfer #1.

3/24 7pm – 3/26 8pm 49 hr

3/26 8 pm- 3/29 8 pm 72 hr

3/29 8 pm – 4/1 8 pm 72 hr

4/1 8 pm- 4/4 8pm 72 hr

 

[Areseebee]

I think you need one more transfer as little as one day after your current last one. check out the discussion of my schedule just above this post, same issue!

 

[LDH]

I use the tank transfer method on all fish I buy.

14 day process.

I use:
Two 5 gallon buckets (I don't buy super big fish)
Two Heaters
Two glass thermometers
One bubbler
Several sections of airline tubing.


I don't use a powerhead or hangon back filter. Or an airstone.

If there's anything that isn't completely dry when you transfer....you're waisting your time. Airstone=too porous to fully dry. Ich can survive in that those couple drops of water that you re-used in your next transfer.

I've used it on a Blue-tang that was covered in Ich and scratching at the store. I've used it on clownfish, yellow tangs, clown gobies, and recently my leopard wrasse.

None of my fish ever show ich or scratch against the rocks.


Thanks for doing this. There's a super detailed thread on ...that other popular reef forum detailing the tank transfer method.

So if a fish has full blown ich this method actually cures it??

 

[Chitown tom]

I think you need one more transfer as little as one day after your current last one. check out the discussion of my schedule just above this post, same issue!

I just re read your post and I will add one more transfer. So many transfers and I was not sure of my original calculations.
So this updated schedule should work:


3/24 7pm – 3/26 8pm 49 hr

3/26 8 pm- 3/29 8 pm 72 hr

3/29 8 pm – 4/1 8 pm 72 hr

4/1 8 pm- 4/4 8pm 72 hr

4/4 8 pm - 4/6 8pm 48 hr

4/6 8pm move to qt

 

[Areseebee]

So if a fish has full blown ich this method actually cures it??

By preventing reattachment yes, but it provides no immediate relief so the fish has to live through the first few transfers while the burden decreases.

 

[Humblefish]

By preventing reattachment yes, but it provides no immediate relief so the fish has to live through the first few transfers while the burden decreases.

+1 It's also important to note that TTM DOES NOT treat Marine Velvet Disease, which is running rampant right now through the wholesalers.

Many times "full blown ich" is actually velvet.

 

[Areseebee]

I am currently taking a sand-burying wrasse through QT, if I do TTM do I need 5 different sand beds. I'm sure I could get by with two containers, but do I need to throw out the sand or is letting it dry enough? I have a feeling 2 days wouldn't cut it here.

 

[Humblefish]

I am currently taking a sand-burying wrasse through QT, if I do TTM do I need 5 different sand beds. I'm sure I could get by with two containers, but do I need to throw out the sand or is letting it dry enough? I have a feeling 2 days wouldn't cut it here.

Clean the containers just as you would all other equipment for TTM, but use new sand for each transfer. When it's all done soak all the sand in a bleach/water solution and then rinse so you can reuse it down the road.

 

[melypr1985]

I am currently taking a sand-burying wrasse through QT, if I do TTM do I need 5 different sand beds. I'm sure I could get by with two containers, but do I need to throw out the sand or is letting it dry enough? I have a feeling 2 days wouldn't cut it here.

I usually buy a 5 lb bag of sand for this purpose and use a new batch of sand each time. Just two containers with new sand every transfer. I don't throw it away though. I rinse it in bleach water and spread it real thin to dry for a week or so before putting it in a container to hold for another QT.

 

[melypr1985]

Clean the containers just as you would all other equipment for TTM, but use new sand for each transfer. When it's all done soak all the sand in a bleach/water solution and then rinse so you can reuse it down the road.

LOL thinking the same thing at the same time

 

[Humblefish]

LOL thinking the same thing at the same time

 

[Areseebee]

What's the cheapest serviceable sand? I have extra reef flakes but that's a little fancy for this purpose. I recall we used to use play sand from home depot for DSBs, is that still a thing?

 

[Humblefish]

What's the cheapest serviceable sand? I have extra reef flakes but that's a little fancy for this purpose. I recall we used to use play sand from home depot for DSBs, is that still a thing?

Yup, lots of people (myself included) have done that. I've also used pool filter sand.

The problem (for a reef) is it's often silica (quartz) based, leaches silicates out, which causes never-ending diatom blooms. Not a real problem for a QT.

 

[Areseebee]

Final thing I realized is going to be an issue. The wrasse likes to go to bed super early, but I can only do transfers at night. I always see about how you shouldn't go fishing them out of the sand. If I just jostle the bed around is that a good way to wake it and transfer it?

 

[Balz3352]

Final thing I realized is going to be an issue. The wrasse likes to go to bed super early, but I can only do transfers at night. I always see about how you shouldn't go fishing them out of the sand. If I just jostle the bed around is that a good way to wake it and transfer it?

Maybe feed? Mine always come out when they smell food.

 

[Humblefish]

Maybe feed? Mine always come out when they smell food.

+1 Or remove the sand the morning/afternoon of the next transfer, so the wrasse can't go to bed.

 

[Areseebee]

Whelp no go on the food, I might ahve to go the cruel sand bed removal route. Or I guess I could try doing it in the mornings as awful as that sounds.

 

[dakoop]

Ordered my dream fish, Achilles, and he is going to be my first ttm fish.

 

[jeff williams]

TT is probably my favorite QT method; although it does require more time & effort. In and of itself, TTM exposes the fish to no harsh chemicals (like copper) in order to eradicate ich. However, I do usually opt to treat with Prazipro (to deworm) at the onset of transfers 2 & 4. What I get after 13 days is a fish that should be rid of the two "hidden diseases" which plague our hobby - ich & flukes. I then observe for velvet, bacterial infections (both of which have obvious visible symptoms) and intestinal parasites (white stringy poop) for two more weeks before adding the fish to my DT. That's it! One month and you are done!

Another advantage of TT is you are able to quickly add medications to the water if needed. If you notice intestinal parasites, you can start treating with metronidazole. Or add antibiotics to the water if a bacterial infection suddenly pops up. All while continuing on with TTM. No need to worry about negative interaction with copper, or hyposalinity that needs to be raised first.

I'm curious with the amount of velvet I have seen pop up on r2r lately would this still be your prophylactic treatment ? Or would it just be wise to start rite off with copper ?