Some Serious Problems....

[frogger009]

I would like to thank everyone for all their help here.

Here is my current plan, pick up mature media on the way home today. Determine where it can ft in. When I get home, continue Ich medication and add mature media to system. Stop with Stability and Prime.

Hope for the best.

 

[waterdrop]

ok frogger, best of luck.

Let us know what kind of water change schedule seems to keep your toxins close to zero and seems reasonable - establishing this will be important during this fish-in cycling period.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[frogger009]

Well, another dilemma today.

Added the mature media, it is helping the tank cycle. Did a small water change (My Ich med said to do none). Ammonia is STILL 1.5, used more prime to help it. Nitrites read at 0.3 yesterday. Didnt test Nitrates.

However, today I have a dilemma. According to the Ich meds, I am done my Ich treatment today (4 days) however I have read I should continue for 7 - 14 days. But the Ich meds are Malachite Green based, which kills my bacteria, which I went through so much effort to get.

My Betta no longer has white spots as of yesterday, and he was 80% clear as of the day before that. He only ever got 1 spot on his body, the reast were on his fins. Still no other fish shows any sign of Ich. My Corys seem to be breathing rapidly, so I have brought my temp down to 80 from 82. All fish continue to eat and swim normally, except the corys, which lie around a little bit more, probably due to the Ammonia, Meds and Added Heat.

Looks like the tank is turning the corner.

Edit: Oh I forgot, the white cloudiness seems to have gone away since adding the mature media. Water is near-crystal clear.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

I would be tempted to stop medicating so you can concentrate on getting the bacteria established and well. big daily water changes will help out all your fish and hopefully with no meds in the tank and some matured media in the levels will stabilise in a few days. keep a v v v close eye out for signs of whitespot returning though and don't hesistate to start treatment again if you feel any concern.

 

[rabbut]

The heat and ammonia will take it's toll on the corries, whom are usualy sencitive to both. Just keep an eye on them and boost airation, and they should be fine so long as you keep the ammonia and nitrite down below 0.25mg/l. If this means twice daily 50% waterchanges, that is what you need to do
It's good that the cloudyness is gone, as this indicates that the majority of the bacteria in the tank are where they should be, i.e. in the filter. While I'm on the subject of filters, I had a look at your link, and it looks like it should be easy enough to replace the floss-carbon pad
You can replace the carbon with some more bio media, as it sounds like you have done. To take care of the mechaincal media, get some pond filter floss. Cut the large sheet into the correct sized pads, and then place it on top of the additional media that replaces the carbon pad. It's cheaper to run and should work just as well, if not better. You can also get wadding from a dress makers shop, and this should be cheaper still.
Maure media should cut the cycling time. By how much? Thats variable, depending on your tanks stocking, the stocking of the mature tank it was taken from and how much of the mature media you now have.

HTH
Rabbut

 

[frogger009]

Thanks for all the help guys, I hope to make it through this with no casualties, as even in 4 weeks I have grown attached to my fish.

Have learned alot here, decided to get a tank sort of on a whim, and thought I had all the info I needed from the pet shop (yeah right lol). Told me to set the tank up, leave it for 2 days with water. Add Stability and some Fish, wait a week then I could add more fish, waiting 2-3 days inbetween till It was stocked. Great eh.

Anywho, despite all this, I still love my tank and actually once I get some space, hope to set up a 33 gal given to me by the same co-worker who gave me the media. That one I plan to Fishless Cycle .

 

[waterdrop]

alright, great, we'll enjoy reading your fishless cycling log!

~~waterdrop~~

 

[frogger009]

Ok, an update here (sorry have been really busy lately)

I believe I had just added the mature media last time I posted on Tuesday or Wednesday. Well, over the next few days I kept doing medium water changes (20-25%), Ammonia started comming down a bit. Then Thursday night, I tested my highest results yet (my "peak" so to speak).

Thursday Night

Ammonia between 1 and 1.5
Nitrite between 0.8 and 1.0
Nitrate between 10 and 30 (hard to match the color, all varying degrees of purple)

So I did a massive, 65% water change.

Tested water again next morning,

Ammonia down to 0.25
Nitrite between 0.3 and 0.8
didn't test Nitrate

Small water change

Next day (Saturday)

Ammonia between 0 and 0.25
Nitrite at 0.3

Next day (Sunday)

Ammonia basically 0
Nitrite 0.3

This morning

Ammonia 0
Nitrite between 0 and 0.3
Nitrate between 5 and 10
PH 7.0

All fish are alive and accounted for, zero fatalities. The end is near.

 

[rabbut]

Stats are looking as you would expect after additions of mature media Keep it up, as you say you are almost there.

 

[waterdrop]

Yup, looks good to me too!