Is My Tank Cycled/ready Yet?

[eaglesaquarium]

The increase in nitrates again indicates your donated media is doing their job.


Salt and cories is a bad mix. Personally, I wouldn't do it. Cories are very sensitive to that, watch for ANY signs of stress from them. If they shows stress, do a PWC (regardless of what the Stability folks say) and SLOWLY add non-salted dechlorinated water back. You want to do this slowly, as the salt concentrations change, it can cause issues for the fish, especially the cories. Take your time filling it back up. If you are using a hose, a very slow trickle back in. If you are using buckets, a cup at a time. Patience, IMHO, has never hurt a fishkeeper or their fish.

 

[Ruskull]

That's why a only gave half of the recommended amount of salt for the tank, because I was worried about the Corries. I'm in this unique position because to add meds I'm supposed to remove the filter cartridges that have carbon in them. Otherwise the carbon takes out the meds! I can't remove the cartridges because I just barely got my cycle going and removing one or both may start a mini cycle. I'm really in a no win situation and I'm hoping that dosing the tank with the meds and a half dose of salt will combine to kill the Ich when it's in it's free swimming form.

To be honest the Corries don't show any signs of stress, they didn't even act strangely when I had the Tiger Barbs in there. They still swim up & down the sides of the tank wagging their tails like little puppies. Sometimes they just sit at the bottom for a bit apparently resting and scrounging around for food. The recommended dose of salt was 1 scoop of 5 ml per 5 gallons which came out to 7.2 scoops for the 36 gal tank. I only added 3 scoops.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I'd just be careful.

Has this carbon been in the tank since you first started the tank? How long has it been running? Chances are that the carbon is useless in terms of actually removing anything from the tank any more. It's usefulness is somewhere from a couple days to 3 or 4 weeks.

 

[Ruskull]

I'd just be careful.

Has this carbon been in the tank since you first started the tank? How long has it been running? Chances are that the carbon is useless in terms of actually removing anything from the tank any more. It's usefulness is somewhere from a couple days to 3 or 4 weeks.

Yes, I did hear that the carbon is only effective for the first week or so. I was hoping that was the case. The only carbon in the tank is the original brand new cartridge that's been in for about 2 or 3 weeks & the donated cartridge from my son's tank that's at least a month old. There's not alot in the cartridges to begin with.

Here's a very informative link regarding salt, meds & Corey Cats:

http/www.badmanstropicalfish.com/forum/index.php?topic=1285.0

Here's exerpt from about halfway down the page in their FAQ section:

Frequently asked questions

Can I use salt with cories, cats, sharks, loaches, Tetra?s pleco?s etc.?
The answer is quite simply yes. Furthermore I would add my opinion that salt should be the preferred method for these fish. My experience is that salt is far far less stressful than malachite and Formalin. Smooth skinned fish and sensitive fish will have enough trouble with the stress of being infected, so the added stress of medication isn?t something you want. Remember that we are talking about a 2-3 week or less treatment not true long term use of salt. These fish will do fine with the levels needed for ich for the small amount of time we are talking about.

Can I use meds with cories, cats, sharks, loaches, Tetra?s pleco?s etc.?
The answer is once again yes. I don?t personally recommend it because I feel that salt is a better less stressful option, However there have been plenty of people who have had success using meds with these fish. Read the instructions carefully, recommended dosages are lighter for sensitive fish. Now with that in mind consider the issue of organics, the need to treat for as much as 2+ weeks, and the chance that ich could survive the meds at a reduced dosage then decide which method you think is better.

Basically they're just saying that salt alone is the preffered method since the carbon has no effect on salt.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yes, that's what they are saying... I'm just saying that I'd be careful. Keep a sharp eye on the cories for more signs of stress.

 

[Ruskull]

I just got home and dosed the tank with the Kordon Rid Fungus again. I did 3.5 dropper fulls for 36 gallons. This stuff smells absolutely nasty & it makes my usually very clear water look a bit cloudy. How depressing. No wonder 80% of new aquarium owners quit the sport within a short period of time.

Oh, and so far the Corries look fine. Same routine as usual for them............

Now with this medication lasting for as long as 2 weeks I guess adding 2 female Pearl Gouramis this weekend is out of the question. With my luck they won't have them anymore by the time I get this tank fully cycled, medicated and un-medicated with a huge water change.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I just got home and dosed the tank with the Kordon Rid Fungus again. I did 3.5 dropper fulls for 36 gallons. This stuff smells absolutely nasty & it makes my usually very clear water look a bit cloudy. How depressing. No wonder 80% of new aquarium owners quit the sport within a short period of time.

Oh, and so far the Corries look fine. Same routine as usual for them............

Now with this medication lasting for as long as 2 weeks I guess adding 2 female Pearl Gouramis this weekend is out of the question. With my luck they won't have them anymore by the time I get this tank fully cycled, medicated and un-medicated with a huge water change.

No worries about the new fish. You can't let that deter you from doing the right thing. Talk to the shop keeper. It's possible that they may put two on hold for you until you get the ich situation figured. Ultimately, they are looking to sell fish. If you talk to them, they might just hold a few for you. Certainly there is no harm in asking... you'll be surprised what you can do when you talk to fellow fish people. They understand the addiction.


Also, be sure to put some NEW carbon into your filter when you are done the meds. Do as big a water change as you can - all the way to the point that the fish can barely swim upright. (This is very important because of the salt you added... carbon won't help with that.) Then refill nice and slow with temp matched dechlorinated water. THEN put the new carbon into your filter to completely remove any of the meds that remains. Subsequent water changes will remove any traces of salt over the next few weeks and months.

 

[Ruskull]

I just got home and dosed the tank with the Kordon Rid Fungus again. I did 3.5 dropper fulls for 36 gallons. This stuff smells absolutely nasty & it makes my usually very clear water look a bit cloudy. How depressing. No wonder 80% of new aquarium owners quit the sport within a short period of time.

Oh, and so far the Corries look fine. Same routine as usual for them............

Now with this medication lasting for as long as 2 weeks I guess adding 2 female Pearl Gouramis this weekend is out of the question. With my luck they won't have them anymore by the time I get this tank fully cycled, medicated and un-medicated with a huge water change.

No worries about the new fish. You can't let that deter you from doing the right thing. Talk to the shop keeper. It's possible that they may put two on hold for you until you get the ich situation figured. Ultimately, they are looking to sell fish. If you talk to them, they might just hold a few for you. Certainly there is no harm in asking... you'll be surprised what you can do when you talk to fellow fish people. They understand the addiction.


Also, be sure to put some NEW carbon into your filter when you are done the meds. Do as big a water change as you can - all the way to the point that the fish can barely swim upright. (This is very important because of the salt you added... carbon won't help with that.) Then refill nice and slow with temp matched dechlorinated water. THEN put the new carbon into your filter to completely remove any of the meds that remains. Subsequent water changes will remove any traces of salt over the next few weeks and months.

Thanks, that's exactly what I plan to do. Hopefully the newly established cycle will be strong enough to remove those strips of media I added from my son's tank & the PetCo filter. Then I can add a fresh cartridge to one existing one that came with the filter. At least I have a plan.........and thanks again for your help.

 

[Ruskull]

This morning I fed the tank a very small amount of flake and dosed the tank with Stability again. Tonight I'll reluctantly do another dose of Kordon Rid Fungus for the Ich. Hopefully I'll see some signs of improvement with the infected fish. I'll also do a round of tests to determine that the cycle is still established. Either way I plan a 50% water change this weekend.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Remember, the ich will disappear from the fish as a normal part of the life cycle of the parasite. You MUST continue to treat the tank during this period, if not, they will come back, probably stronger than before.


WIth the water change, be sure to do a VERY THOROUGH gravel vac as the "cysts" will sit on the bottom before they burst with the free swimming morph which is the only one susceptible to treatment. If you suck them out of the tank, you won't need to kill as many with the meds.

 

[Ruskull]

Remember, the ich will disappear from the fish as a normal part of the life cycle of the parasite. You MUST continue to treat the tank during this period, if not, they will come back, probably stronger than before.


WIth the water change, be sure to do a VERY THOROUGH gravel vac as the "cysts" will sit on the bottom before they burst with the free swimming morph which is the only one susceptible to treatment. If you suck them out of the tank, you won't need to kill as many with the meds.

I plan to continue treatments 1 week after the last signs of the Ich on the fish. That's what most sites have said............thanks again for confirming. The only time the meds work is when the parasite is in the free swimming part of it's life cycle, not when it's on the fish or in the gravel/sand.

 

[Ruskull]

I just tested for ammonia & nitrite and both were slightly higher than 2 days ago, the last time I tested. Keep in mind I've been feeding them twice a day, once in the morning & once in the evening. Clearly this is too much.

I'd say the ammonia is about .1 to .15 at most & the nitrite is about the same.

I'll be doing a 50% water change tomorrow night. I'm also going to switch to an Ich specific treatment rather than this stinky crap that just clouds up my water. I'll do the water change first & then I'll do the treatment.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

I'd only feed once a day for at least the next two weeks. No sense in adding more fuel to the fire. Overall, twice a day isn't really necessary for your fish ever.

 

[Ruskull]

I'd only feed once a day for at least the next two weeks. No sense in adding more fuel to the fire. Overall, twice a day isn't really necessary for your fish ever.

Yep, it appears feeding that often was too much. Typical newbie mistake.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

It happens...