From: ralphl@ihalt.ih.att.com (45262-Loura)
Newsgroups: rec.aquaria
Subject: Hospital tank setup
Date: 9 Apr 92 19:30:21 GMT
Organization: att.com
Originator: ralphl@ihalt



Sorry for the length (80+ lines), but please take the time to read,
I could use some help/advice...

I could use some net.advice on setting up a hospital tank.

I have a 70 gal FW tank, w/assorted african (malawi) cichlids, and
also a 30 gal (soon to be replaced w/a 58 gal) brackish tank with
a few scats and monos, oh, and one gobi.

The 70Gal has 7 cichlids, and a pleco.  All are large.  The filtration
is a wet/dry and a magnum.  They are all quite happy.

The 30Gal is a bit overcrowded (3 large scats, 2 med monos, and a small gobi)
hence the 58 gal upgrade.  We had planned to start to move them already, but
the tank we ordered showed up, and was the wrong tank, and had to be sent back
and we are awaiting the arrival of the right one.  Recently (about 36 hours
ago) we noticed that one of the monos was acting/looking a bit stressed,
and upon further investigation we noticed what we have determined is
"pop-eye".

We would like to treat the fish in two ways, one is to give it a safe haven
from the other brutes in the tank, the other is to treat it with whatver
chemicals might help it fight the fungus (I hear that is what "pop-eye"
is, a fungus that is attacks some part of the eye, aided of course, by
stress).

As for the chemicals, I would like to hear suggestions/experiences from
the net.  I am making a trip to my local fish store on the way home today,
and will see what they have to offer.  Maybe the best treatment is not at
all, I would like to hear opinions on htat as well.

As for the safe haven, a divider is not practical, since things are quite
crowded already.  To provide the sick fish with room to move, would require
severely crowding the others, and vice versa.

A hospital tank seems to be the answer, and it is probably high-time I set
one up, but I have a few questions:

Size:	I was thinking 20 gal would be a good size, considering the large
	africans I have, as well as the large scats (6+ inches total length)

Sharing:	Is it reasonable to expect that I could use it for either
		fresh or salt depending on need at the time?  Of course,
		I would clean it out well between borders and such.

Filtration:	I was thinking of a simple wisper/penguin type power filter
		that hangs on the back.  Media being the carbon filled floss
		sleeves (with or without carbon depending on the medication
		in use).  This is of course just mechanical/chemical in nature,
		what about biological?  I do not want to use a UGF!

Cycling:	How does one cycle a hospital tank quickly?  I wouldn't mind
		keeping an empty hospital tank running all the time, but with
		no bio-load, what would feed the bacteria?  Also, if running
		constantly, making brackish to fresh transition is a concern.

Contents:	I figure an empty tank w/maybe a thin layer of gravel (to
		provide a dark comforting bottom) would be all I would put
		in it.

General:	Anything else I missed?

Thanks in advance for any
net.wisdom!


RalphL
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