pH drop during freshwater dip
Hello Crew,
<Tom>
Tonight I put a new Longnose Butterfly into our display tank after an apparently successfully crypt treatment. It had broken out with crypt spots just hours after bringing it home from the LFS and placing in QT. Must have had a latent infection because it looked spotless at the LFS... and they claimed it would be parasite-free since they had had it for a couple of weeks.
<Mmmm, right... Very few stores (I know of three in the U.S.) have the facilities, discipline... to keep new livestock apart from general...>
Anyway, copper and a few weeks of observation cured that problem.
As an extra precaution I FW dipped this fish before placing in the display. I used "Proper pH 8.2" to match the dip to the display water.
<Mmmm....>
Right after I put the fish in the dip, the pH reading on the monitor dropped like a rock, from 8.3 to 7.7 in about a minute.
<Glad to see you were monitoring... but how?>
Not wanting to risk it, I put the fish into the display after just the short dip.
My question is, why would the FW pH drop like this? Not enough buffer? This product supposedly buffers in addition to raising the pH, and if I add too much the pH will rise to 10+.
<Mmm, first off... I'm concerned with the test/er... Some part of the API product may have affected it/this... assuredly this degree/suddenness of pH drop is anomalous>
Could you recommend a more stable buffer/pH adjuster to use next time?
<Just simple sodium bicarbonate... aka baking soda... Won't raise the pH more than about 8.0... is very safe, effective... Am sure you understand my points/drive here...>
How about Seachem's Reef Buffer, is that a good one to use to prepare FW dips?
Thanks,
Tom
<I'd stick with Armand Hammer's product... Though Seachem's line of pH, alkalinity products is excellent... Bob Fenner>

Anthony Question on Hypo and FW Dips  - 3/12/07
Hi Anthony...
<Mmm, not here... maybe try him at Marine Depot, or Reading Trees (.coms)>
you recently has a conversation with some friends of mine when you appeared in Florida and mentioned that you don't think hyposalinity is a viable option for treating ich. I've also read where you don't feel that Greenex should be used in treatments. Yet, Bob has stated that Greenex actually works to offset some of the negative aspects of Formalin treatment.
<What? ...Malachite and Formalin ARE Greenex... The former does nothing to "offset" the latter... both are harsh, toxic... more so together than separately>
I've also noticed that Steven Pro highly recommends hyposalinity as a treatment for ich. Wow, so confusing!
We met at IMAC last year. I own Sea in the City in Orlando (you encouraged me to frag my red carpet anemone...which I did with great results by the way;) and I've been working to get away from using copper in my fish displays (I have quarantine/hospital setups in use) and have settled on oversized UV, Ozone and lowered salinity (1.20) in the tanks.
<Good approaches...>
I dip all fish that can tolerate freshwater in a 5 gallon bucket with a heater, bubbler and PH adjustment that contains Formalin and Greenex (1-3 minutes).
<Good... though I/we mainly just used Formalin... for decades>
I then move them to same setup on the bucket but with salt water, Formalin and Methyl Blue (30+ minutes).
<Neat>
I'm having excellent success with this (pulled from some of Bob's suggestions in "Conscientious Marine Aquarist") but now have some hesitation after reading some of your WWM replies regarding Greenex. So, can you help me out with some qualifying info? Thanks and hope all is well with you. Marcye
<Do please give the URL/s a once-over and write me back re your concerns. Bob Fenner>

Formalin question
Hello crew,
I recently purchased 2 clownfish and after a week in QT, I believe they might have Brooklynella.  Luckily for me, a friend works in a research lab and got me some Formalin.  However, it is a 10% solution.  Since stock solution is normally 37%, would multiplying the dosage by 3 work for Formalin dips?
<Mmm, multiplying... as in adding 3.7 times as much as you might will give you about the same concentration as a stock solution...>
I was planning on mixing about 3 (maybe 4?) ml/G saltwater for a 40-60 minute bath, repeating in a few days if things don't improve.  Does this sound like a reasonable plan?
<Yes. Do aerate the water while the clowns are in the bath, and keep checking on them every few minutes>
thanks for the help, as always!
~Jim
<Bob Fenner>