Saltwater vs freshwater

[Sdeluca10]

So it happened, over 15 years in the hobby I have become victim of an entire system ick outbreak. Not sure where it came from, (no new fish were added)how it happened or even how it escalated so fast but in less than a week I lost nearly everything. I’m not even gonna try to figure out what or how it happened, what’s done is done. I’m sick to my stomach over it. I don’t even know what I want to do now. Take it down… start over… if so do I gotta bleach all my rocks, get rid of my sand?? Idk…
But the option to take a break from saltwater and try freshwater did enter my mind. I haven’t tried freshwater since I did piranhas in a 55 gallon tank 15ish years ago. I’m very much out of the loop as far as freshwater goes, the care that is required, and the general overall maintenance.
I’m looking for opinions on freshwater cichlids tanks, or just general overall opinions.

 

[stingythingy45]

Salt water to fresh water? That's blasphemy around here.
Do some research on Ich treatments. I'm sure you'll hatch a better plan to rid the tank of it.

 

[kgstei]

You can always keep running the saltwater tank fishless for 3 months to eliminate ich from the system.

 

[Cpage101]

1 week to kill everything? that sound more like velvet. did you add any new corals or sails or inverts from a lfs recently if no fish? if there were any free swimming parasites in the water it cold have come in that way or a egg on a frag plug. Just run your system fishless for a minimum of 72 days and either ich or velvet parasite will die off without fish to keep the parasite breeding cycle going. I had this happen in 2019 just before xmas. I just had to enjoy my coral and inverts. any pictures of the fish when alive with the outbreak?

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

Sorry for your loss. This hobby can be so depressing at times, especially when you don't know what went wrong.

I have also entertained the idea of freshwater. I have seen some beautiful planted freshwater tanks. I'm sure they have their own challenges, but it's probably not as costly.

 

[Sdeluca10]

1 week to kill everything? that sound more like velvet. did you add any new corals or sails or inverts from a lfs recently if no fish? if there were any free swimming parasites in the water it cold have come in that way or a egg on a frag plug. Just run your system fishless for a minimum of 72 days and either ich or velvet parasite will die off without fish to keep the parasite breeding cycle going. I had this happen in 2019 just before xmas. I just had to enjoy my coral and inverts. any pictures of the fish when alive with the outbreak?

I don’t have any pictures. I saw the freckles white dots. The fish all seemed to get a really dull form of their color, they almost appeared to have a white film over them, and in one cause my emperor angel had a puffy cloudy eye. I was nearly certain it was ick. I’ve had it on a fish and quarantined before, but never had an outbreak even remotely close to this…

 

[Sdeluca10]

Sorry for your loss. This hobby can be so depressing at times, especially when you don't know what went wrong.

I have also entertained the idea of freshwater. I have seen some beautiful planted freshwater tanks. I'm sure they have their own challenges, but it's probably not as costly.

The sole reason for the thought to switch is money. I had a lot of money invested and the thought of starting over… idk if my bank account can handle a fresh start…

 

[Lilys]

I love both, if I would not have promised my hubby to downsize the number of tank from 4 to 2 I would love a planted nano with pencils fish and shrimps.

 

[ChrisV]

I made it a whole two months once with no aquariums. I kept a freshwater tank for a year while I was sans reef. I really did enjoy it, but if I'm being honest, I wanted a reef within a couple of months of going fresh. On the bright side, I was accustomed to reef prices, so I got some super high end freshwater stuff for way less. I now no longer keep freshwater and have two reefs.

 

[GobyWanKenobie]

The sole reason for the thought to switch is money. I had a lot of money invested and the thought of starting over… idk if my bank account can handle a fresh start…

Fish prices are crazy now. Years ago I bought a yellow tang at $40 and recently lost it at a value of probably $200-$400. I miss it, but I have no intention of spending that kind of money on a fish. You can go fallow until your tank clears up and maybe catch a deal on someone breaking down their tank. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

 

[PSU4ME]

Sorry for the loss, sounds like velvet to me to take fish down that fast.

I think @Humblefish has guidelines on going fallow that talk to increasing the temps to shorten the fallow period depending if what’s left can handle.
Any pics of the fish to ID velvet or Ich?

 

[Humblefish]

I think @Humblefish has guidelines on going fallow that talk to increasing the temps to shorten the fallow period depending if what’s left can handle.

6 weeks fallow @81F will eliminate all fish pathogens.

 

[Cooper2]

Sympathy for your loss. I had an ICK outbreak that cut my stock in half. The tank recovered using API Ick treatment and Artemiss, but upgrading to a real sterilizer and assuring the correct flow rate through it seems to be the chemical free answer. Do not not trust green killing machines! .......UV bulbs don't illuminate despite the LED saying it's on. I now drill a tiny hole near the bottom of the bulb housing to see if the bulb lights. Just a tiny 1/16" "witness hole". I find them ok for freshwater but would never trust for salt....again....lol

 

[hanse_2020]

6 weeks fallow @81F will eliminate all fish pathogens.

Hey

Humblefish can u send me a message I got a few questions about a zebra eel​