[b]Yet Another Ich Question. Please Help! [/b]

[gravedigger2step]

I also have another quick "newbie" question, related to something else. Since youve been so helpful i figured id ask you. All the microscopic little white creatures that are all over the glass inside the tank. They look like little crustaceans of some sort. Whats the deal with them? Good/Bad? Anything i should know about them? Thanks

 

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't use it at all. I think you will find that most reefers don't.

:mrgreen:

 

[Terry B]

gravedigger2step,
Yes, you can eilminate ich from your system, but you run a very high risk of reintroducing it if you don't quarantine. There are lots of purported treatments for ich, most of them don't work with any consistency and the only evidence to support the use of these treatments in acendotal or worse. The best of the alternate treatments are feeding the fish garlic soaked foods and using a UV light. Neither of these is anything close to surefire but they beat the other alternate treatments completely.
The only proven consistently effective treatments are copper (Cupramine is the best) and hyposalinity. Hyposalinity has many advantages over using copper and is THE best treatment available. However, the best treatments can only be used if there are no inverts or live rock in the tank. The best way to go is to treat in a bare bottom tank with PVC pipe for hiding places. You can use hypo right in the display tank if you don't have live rock or inverts.
I suggest that you do an internet search for hyposalinity. They probably woulnd't appreciate it here if I recommended another site with a forum dedicated to fish disease and treatments. I can back up my opinion on how to treat ich with numerous references from the scientific journals, but you only need to know how to use hyposalinity. The treatment level I recommend is 14ppt salinity (SG of about 1.009). You need a VERY accurate hydrometer or a refractometer to treat with hypo. Check the pH daily during treatment.
Terry B