Restarting a saltwater tank

[Dustbuster]

I have had my 45 gal show tank for about 6 months now. It has a bio filter uv light (regular bulb) and a flow pump. I have had both an anenome and fish in my tank. I have already had two sets of fish die now due to the ich. I am thinking about removing all the live rock and sand from the tank and cleaning it out, replacing all the sand. Will I need to replace the bio wheel filters to make sure all of the disease is gone from the tank? Also should I need a protein skimmer with a tank this size. When I redo the tank I think I am going to do a fish only tank so that I can medicate with copper now.
Please help me out with this delima I am having I am tired of my fish dying.

 

[SALTY WATERS]

No need to teardown the system, just remove the Ich's host... the "FISH". Without a host the Ich can't survive! Take all fish out of the system and treat them in a hospital tank. After about 4-5 weeks you should be good to go! As well raise the tank temp. up to about 80 during this time to help speed up the Ich cycle.
In the future... always quarantine ANY new live stock for a good 2-4 weeks

Oh and "yes" a protein skimmer would be a good addition.

 

[Lorna]

There are a few unsettling items in your post least of which is the ich issue you are having. Here are a few suggestions in addition to those posted by Salty.....

1. Remove any fish to a quarantine tank for a minimum of 5-6 weeks. You do not have to remove any snails/hermits or other inverts, rock or sand. You need to let the tank sit fallow for this length of time to ensure the parasite has died off through starvation.

2. You say this tank has been up and running for 6 months but you do not give us any tank parameters such as alk, temp, ph, sg, calcium, ammonia, nitrite/nitrates, phos. Please give us actual measurements not just an okay from a test run by a local lfs......we need to know these things to better advise you.

3. When you set up your tank how long did you let it cycle? What amount of live rock and sand do you have and what other equipment such as lights etc. How often are you doing water changes and how much are you changing.

4. What shape are the anemones in? These are very touchy animals that should only be housed in mature (read minimum of a year old) tanks with perfect pristine water conditions. What other livestock is in the tank?

Yes you should probably lose the biofilter and uv filter. If you have the right amount of live rock you don't need either. UV filters often kill off good bacteria as well as bad. You should probably sell these and invest the money in a good protein skimmer such as an aqua remora c hob for example. How much flow do you have and what power heads are you running.......all this information helps us to assess the situation and point you in the right direction. I would also suggest you purchase or get from the library a couple good books such as "The New Marine Aquarium" and "The Concientiouis Marine Aquariust" both of which provide great information for the beginner and can often forstall any problems. Here is another great website with loads of information, please research as much as you can.........

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