NOOB wants help organizing QT mess

[turbo]

I need aquarium counsel please!

So here's my story: I started a 55 gal FOWLR in November. I let the tank cycle with some live rock I bought used and cured. The cycle was very brief. After adding a few snails and crabs and shrimp, I decided to add one blue-green chromis. A week later I added a few more chromis. Nothing was quarantined...

At that time I didn't have enough live rock so I went out and bought a bunch more. I moved all the livestock to a different tank while the new live rock was introduced to my DT. The separate tank is a basic 10 gal and I put a few pounds of live rock in it, and a cascade power filter. A few days later I moved everything except the fish back to my display tank. Then I had an aiptasia outbreak (on the new rock) and added 2 peppermint shrimp, and they completely took care of the problem for me. Awesome!

OK OK so here's where I'm at now that you have the back-story: the crabs and snails and shrimp are in my display tank and doing totally fine! The basic water parameters are stable and nothing is dying. The only loss of life has been a few chromis (3 down from 6). The three appear to be getting along now. I can't conclusively say the cause of death but in all cases the fish appeared to have physical injuries. The most recent was a slow death for the fish, I think I may have actually performed a mercy killing...

I realize I made a bunch of mistakes so far but I'm trying to correct a few things:

1. My DT probably is infected with marine ich at some point in its life cycle. So I realize that it has to sit fallow for 8 weeks without anything being added. I know the parasite needs a fish to host, so I can't re-introduce my chromis until the display tank has cleared of ich.

2. I have more LR that is sitting in 5 gal pails. The reason is I don't have the sump plumbed in yet, and this extra rock will have to live in the sump. I'm using DT discard water to replace the water on these rocks. There's no heater or pump in there, it's just sitting on the floor hot air register, and I'm adding a few capfuls of hydrogen peroxide to try and keep the water somewhat oxygenated.

3. I slowly brought down the salinity in my QT to 1.009. The live rock is still in there, it's only a few pieces, so I'm probably just going to leave it there?? I've read that a sponge filter driven by an air pump is best for quarantine filtration, so that's on my list of things to go buy.

My fish aren't really displaying any signs of ich, but I can't be certain either because really I'm not in any position to diagnose marine ich. The vibe I got from lurking on forums is that it's okay to do 6-7 weeks of hyposalinity just to be safe.

Actually the fish are doing well, almost like they're feeling better. They're vibrant and playful, and not hiding as much.

Obviously after I get this whole cluster of mistakes sorted out and the chromis are back in the display tank, I'm going to re-set the QT properly and employ a system of freshwater baths with all new fish.

And finally, the questions!!!

1. Should I continue with the hyposalinity treatment in the QT or abandon it? Should I buy some meds and attempt to treat for all the usual suspects? So far the rock in the QT hasn't been contaminated with chemicals (to my knowledge), and has only been in hyposaline water for a few days.

2. Would it be beneficial to give the chromis a freshwater bath at this time?

3. Should I wait to start the official 8 week fallow period in my DT until after I plumb in the sump, add the rest of the rock to the system (and relocate the rock from QT), and probably put a few more crabs and snails in the DT? OR should I just continue on with the extra rock in the 5gal pail, and add nothing, for the next 7 weeks since I'm already 1 week in?? (it's been one week since I added the peppermint shrimp to battle the aiptasia).

4. If I remove and relocate the rock from the QT to either the bucket or DT, I feel like I would be re-setting the 8 week clock on ICH ERADICATION. What should I do here?



I know this was a lot of reading but I appreciate any helpful input I get from people who are more knowledgeable than I. The best answer to question 3 also addresses question 4. TYVM!!!!!