Lost Coral Beauty to Ick- next step?

[Lorna]

Only other tank I have is a freshwater tank. Could I put the sponge in there for a few days or would that be a big mistake?

[Ruth]

See if you can find another person in your area or even ask the LFS. Someone may already have a piece of sponge that's been in their system for a while that they will let you have.
One word of advise that is my experience is that unless you take great care to be very dilegent in cleaning any sponge that is in your system (ie just passive or in a canister filter) they quickly become nitrate factories. The only tanks that I have sponges in are my 2 JBJ Nano tanks and I clean them at least once a week when I change the water.

[Lorna]

Ok thanks for the advice, I will have to see if I can get some from the LFS. Once the QT is up an running will my tank cycle by adding the 5 fish all at once?

[i have crabs]

get some filterfloss or sponge from a friend tank if possible lfs have ich too sometimes,take a scoop of sand from another tank too just for the bacteria,.
i would leve the tank for mabey 3 days do a waterchange add mabey half the fish if you can catch them easily wait another 3 days waterchange and add the rest of the fish and start coppering,
if the fish are showing alot of ich i would move all 5 after the first 3 or 4 days and start coppering.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php