When to (re)Stock a tank after Ich...?

[63valiantragtop]

Hi All...

I had posted previously, in the beginning of this disaster...

Just wondered if anyone had some advice of when I could restock my tank?

I have a 90gal FOWLR system with 30gal sump and skimmer.

It was a new system (bought established and re-setup),that I totally blew it on. I had too quickly stocked my tank with too many fish and had the Amonia spike on me and then Black Ich...

I tried everything from water changes, to overpriced "snake-oil medicine" cures, to freshwater dips etc etc...

End result.....I have a nice clean aquarium with some lovely live rock and an abundance of very healthy snails and hermit crabs. No survivors of the finned variety.

I am now determined to do this correctly and not become the classic cliche of a new aquarist and have this all in the Buy and Sell in a month...lol

So, assuming all my water parameters stay good and level, how long should I wait before (slowly) starting to restock with fish?

I am thinking that if I wait at least a couple weeks the outbreak of Ich that may have been living in the tank will have died off (?).

On that note...does anyone have reccomendations of when to add Fish in time frame or which sizes first etc?

I am looking to do a basic colorful community tank.

Thanks again.

[Pan]

a tank has to be empty of fish for six weeks to effectively kill the ich parasite.

[63valiantragtop]

Thanks for the info...

Any ideas or opinions of #'s or size of fish to start the restocking with...?

[Ruth]

You should generally stock from the least aggressive (first ones in the tank) to the most aggressive (last ones in the tank). If you have some fish in mind that you would like to keep it will probably be easier to comment on that than to just throw out a bunch of ideas. Also helpful to know what kind of corals you plan on keeping.
Sorry to hear about the troubles you have had. I know it can be discouraging but just keep at it and ask lots of questions and you will be fine.
I know that I battled for the first 2 years into salt and went through some disasters (both self made and beyond my control). I wish there had been a board like this when i started that could have offered me tips and advise.

[Johnny Reefer]

Originally Posted by Ruth

....Also helpful to know what kind of corals you plan on keeping. ....

If it's an FOWLR tank, this doesn't apply.

Otherwise, good advice so far, IMHO, and I concur with what has been said so far.

Cheers,

[63valiantragtop]

Thanks again all....

Yes, I will later post a wish list of fish I would like to stock...I am sure y'all will be kind enough to beat some more sense into me (again) then.

Just for confirmation...is there a concensus on this 6 weeks for Ich to dissapear from a now unpopulated tank?

I don't want to rush things this time, so I will do as advised.

Cheers!

[TheReefGeek]

Yes 6 weeks is the recommendation.

I would be patient and wait longer (7, 8?) if you can stand it.

Do you want to do an aggresive tank that requires more specific target feeding, or a passive tank that requires more generalized feeding?