Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I have recently noticed my Koi and comet are rubbing against the pipework alot, every thread I have read every one just says salt, but I have Strawberries, and dont want to kill them, Can I take the fish out out treat them in salt water and then return them or will the problem still be in the system.

I saw a dvd by a bloke in Queensland wont mention his name. He recommended having a small tank with high salt about 6ppm. He put them in for about an hour with a aerator and then put them straight back in the tank something about the disease cant handle the sudden transfer from the salt to the normal water.

Hey Pjenkin, yes you can transfer them and treat them with a higher dose of salt. The rubbing against the pipework or scraping on the bottom of the tank is known as "flashing" and it is certainly a good idea to treat the fish. I do have one concern and that is that when you move them it causes them stress, so do it as carefully as you can.

Thank you, the desease wont be contaminated in the system water will it?

rkdraft

Why not? Murray is a member of this Forum, whats the problem?

Cheers IanK

I read that the ich disease as it is called can leave spores in the system. Salt will kill them. I had this in my system for a while I salted for a couple of days and left it. Did not come back. I only added a few handfuls to a 1000ltrs. It will die off without a host. If you google ICH disease you should find heaps of info about it.

Did not know Murray was a member. thanks for the heads up.

While on Salt and the like . . . I received this cautionary note from our water tank manufacturer about cleaning undamaged, but flood effected water storage tanks.
Thought it may be of interest for those with Aqua plated tanks as Fish Tanks etc.

Quote:

BlueScope Steel, the manufacturers of AQUAPLATE® have stated that "chlorine represents a significant risk in terms of damaging the AQUAPLATE® film on Metal Tanks".

I don't know why, or how, it effects it or whether the Chlorine in salt when dissolved is even classed as "Chlorine" in their caution, I suppose just contact BlueScope for further info.

Cheers IanK