Bio media and jack dempseys

[Tracy83]

Hi me again ,, I noticed a couple of my fish tails where looking a little ragged ,, so I have taken the bio media out of filter and added medication ,, I'm just wondering what do I do with the media until I can put it back in , I currently have it in a jam jar filled with tank water ,, also I went to fish shop yesterday and purchased 2 jack dempseys ,, the man assures me I could keep them in my community tank with sword tails and guppies ,, after looking this up I think he was lying ,, so I have acquired another tank ,, but obviously need to cycle it ,, I don't have a heater or substrate yet but I do have a light and filter can I start to cycle tank noe ,, and how long before these jack dempsey start attacking my other fish ,, they seem fine at the moment x

 

[Essjay]

The biomedia should be left in the filter. It's only carbon which needs to be removed as that adsorbs the medication.

 

[Tracy83]

Sorry yes it was the carbon I removed ,, the sponge is still in there ,, where do I put the carbon plz

 

[Essjay]

In the bin.

If you want to use carbon full time you should put fresh carbon in once treatment has finished. Then replace it after a couple of days as it will have adsorbed most of the medication.

You don't actually need to use carbon full time. Replacing the carbon with more sponge, cut to the shape of whatever the carbon was is better. And you don't need to remove it if you have to medicate the tank.



Keep an eye on your ammonia and nitrite levels. Are the jack dempseys in this tank? Removing media and adding new fish (if that's where they are) will possibly cause an increase in either or both. If they do show up you'll need to do a water change. If this is on a day when you are due to add a dose of the medication, do the water change then added it. If it's a day when you don't add a dose (some meds are dosed only on certain days) after the water change add enough medication to treat just the amount of new water. In other words, enough medication to replace what you just removed.

 

[Tracy83]

Yes the jack dempseys are in that tank I also added some tetra easy balance and pure aqurium balls ,, I will test water now ,, can I start to cycle the other tank without a heater and gravel ?

 

[Wills]

Do you have any other types of media in the filter like bio balls or ceramic rings? Carbon does not hold any real benefit to the biological filtration it is a chemical process so it will help remove medication and things like that. Normally it is of no benefit to a healthy tank.

Lets try and work out why your fish had raggedy fins first though and what medication have you added to the tank? You mentioned you had Guppies and Swordtails - do you have anything else? How big are your tanks? The original and the new one for the Jack Dempseys?

JD's can be great fish and as with most cichlids are manageable in some sort of community - for example your swordtails would be ok with them but the guppies wont.

I would take this as a lesson in not listening to shop staff too unfortunately, there are some very passionate, very well meaning people that work in aquatics but usually, you will find better information online and its always best to do your research and plan what fish you want to keep before you buy any.

Wills

 

[Essjay]

There is sponge in the filter.


You can start cycling. It will take longer for the bacteria to multiply but you can add the heater and gravel when you get them.

 

[Tracy83]

Do you have any other types of media in the filter like bio balls or ceramic rings? Carbon does not hold any real benefit to the biological filtration it is a chemical process so it will help remove medication and things like that. Normally it is of no benefit to a healthy tank.

Lets try and work out why your fish had raggedy fins first though and what medication have you added to the tank? You mentioned you had Guppies and Swordtails - do you have anything else? How big are your tanks? The original and the new one for the Jack Dempseys?

JD's can be great fish and as with most cichlids are manageable in some sort of community - for example your swordtails would be ok with them but the guppies wont.

I would take this as a lesson in not listening to shop staff too unfortunately, there are some very passionate, very well meaning people that work in aquatics but usually, you will find better information online and its always best to do your research and plan what fish you want to keep before you buy any.

Wills

My water went really cloudy after a change last week , I think it has something to do with that , I have a of hydra 20 filter that comes with a little cartridge full of little black sticks , I also had some white rings in an additional cartridge that I put in myself ,, I have removed both of these ,, the new tank is 20 gallon ,, best I can do at moment as it was given to me in my state of panic that the jds where gonna est my fish ,, I also have 2 african dwarf frogs ,, which I intend to move to the fry tank once the fry are big enough for main tank ,, so I want them guys out of there asap lol ,, next time I will defo be checking online lol

 

[Tracy83]

There is sponge in the filter.


You can start cycling. It will take longer for the bacteria to multiply but you can add the heater and gravel when you get them.

Thankyou , yes it has a sponge filter so I will get cycling right away ,, I ordered gravel off amazon last night so should be here tommorow and heater by friday ,, thankyou x