Starting again 2

[parker313]

Good luck with the rebuilding!!!

 

[zerothemouse]

Hi Everyone,

About a month ago I finally destroyed the ich in my 37 gal planted tank. I bought a couple fish from Petsmart and did not quarantine them, big mistake. I couldn't use copper because of the plants and corries. I had treated my tank for about a month and a half with various medications and I was nearing the point of just throwing up my hands and starting over.

I finally resorted to getting a UV sterilizer. Not only did it completely destroy the ich but my water is so clear it looks like you could reach into my tank and grab the fish.

From now on, no more fish into my tank without quarantine, even with the sterilizer. I don't want to go through that again.

mouse

 

[David]

Hi Everyone,

About a month ago I finally destroyed the ich in my 37 gal planted tank. I bought a couple fish from Petsmart and did not quarantine them, big mistake. I couldn't use copper because of the plants and corries. I had treated my tank for about a month and a half with various medications and I was nearing the point of just throwing up my hands and starting over.

I finally resorted to getting a UV sterilizer. Not only did it completely destroy the ich but my water is so clear it looks like you could reach into my tank and grab the fish.

From now on, no more fish into my tank without quarantine, even with the sterilizer. I don't want to go through that again.

mouse

How much did the UV sterilizer cost? If it is really that effective I might look into buying one.

 

[David]

I am saying, do you live shaq's mansion or something. Go look, see if it is correct, then you can get started right away, you have alot of work to do

I can't start just yet, gotta have patience. All I did was empty the tank and scrub it, I'm leaving it empty overnight, and tomorrow I will rinse the sand, put the plants back in and the new filter media, and start the fishless cycle.

 

[zerothemouse]

Hi Everyone,

The Coralife 9watt sterilizer I have runs about $90. It will work on a tank as large as 120gallons. You can run it inline if you have something like a canister filter. Otherwise you'll need to get a small submersible pump, which will cost around $15. It will kill small parasites such as ich, bacteria and free floating algae.

I have mine set inline with my fluval canister filter. I had to get some new hose as the fluval one wouldn't fit snug enough around the fittings on the sterilizer but it took me about twenty minutes to set up.

mouse

 

[David]

Hmmm. $90 not worth it, IMO, even if it does prevent some problems in the long run. I don't think I spent that much on fish and meds so far.

 

[Angry_Platy]

$90 being spent on something that you will have forever is nothing....especially if it means keeping your fish healthy and disease free...

I am glad to hear that you decided to start with new filter media and are cycling the fishless way

 

[David]

$90 being spent on something that you will have forever is nothing....especially if it means keeping your fish healthy and disease free...

I am glad to hear that you decided to start with new filter media and are cycling the fishless way

Yup I'm filling the tank up today.

 

[canarsie11]

Did you check to see if ammonia is right kind?

 

[zerothemouse]

Hi Everyone,

Just FYI. It wont help you much David but for anyone else reading this thread. If you left the tank empty of fish for about two weeks that would kill any ich left in the tank. Ich will not live very long without a host.

mouse

 

[Paul_MTS]

so to confirm will a UV steriliser kill off diseases like ICH? and will it do it effectively.

good luck with your new set up David.

 

[canarsie11]

From what I have read it eliminates all parasites, and free floating algae, and disease from the water.


I will be investing in one very soon.

 

[NinjaSmurf]

You need to tear down an entire tank if one fish gets ich?

I never heard that, I just cranked up the heat and did water changes, the one that had it got over it and I haven't had ich since.

 

[canarsie11]

He has mutant ick, which wont go away or he is not treating it properly.

I dont think you should have to breal down either, but apparently he cannot defeat the beast.

 

[luxum]

Hey David, how about a school of dwarf neon rainbowfish instead of the tetras you were considering? They are just as colorful and should get large enough to not become an angel feast. Get a group of at least 5 or six, with more females than males or at least an even ratio. The males have red fins, the females have yellowish/orange fins.

Edit: also, something that's usually not mentioned in the articles on fishless cycling, but which i've learned from experience, is that you need to establish the bacteria that convert organic matter into ammonia as well as the ammonia -->nitrite -->nitrate set. Do that by adding a little fish food a few times during the cycle, in addition to adding the ammonia. Also, the recipe that tells you to take the levels to 5ppm and then add that much every day, halving the dose when the nitrites show up, is far superior to the recipe that tells you to add an arbitrary amount of drops.