Water conditioners, etc

[ostrow]

Just a general question for the more experienced fishy folk:

Is it possible to use too much of the Stress Coat/Aquarisol/Aquarium Salt stuff?

Or is this generally good stuff for the fishies?

Reason I ask is, I started to see Ick, so added some Aquarisol. Then decided to toss in some Aquarium Salt for good measure.

Now nearing time for a water change (20% or so), and need to condition my heavily chlorinated water with Stress Coat.

Was gonna do the water change tomorrow (having put in the Aquarisol and Salt yesterday).

Thoughts???

Thanks...

 

[Dennis]

Ostrow, I relpied to your other post, but will leave a few words here as well. Why would you change the water right after you added Aquarisol and Salt? I don't think it's a good idea as you will waste the conditioner you just added. I did the opposite - I changed water first and then added cure and conditioners.

And don't forget to use your test kits to check the water conditions.

 

[Davy Reynolds]

I'd say yes, to much is no good.

Basiclly you'll over-dose your fish. when pete comes on he'll point to his stresscoat post, I can't remember where it is.

 

[Macquatic]

:what: I'm not keen on the addition of salt to a freshwater tank, many fish will not tolerate it. I believe salt should only be used for marine or brackish tanks or a separate dip, i.e. parasitic infection. Do your water change, raise the temperature to 80/85f and use a proprietry brand of whitespot/ich cure at the correct dose. It may take a couple of weeks to get rid of the disease, so don't give up on the treatment too soon.  Mac.

 

[William]

In my opinion and limited experience salt is a good thing for the aquarium. Some species (tetras are not tolerant of it however).

It increases the amount of waste u can have in your tank before the fish get ill. Perhaps bad hygeine but a good idea I think. Keep up the water changes though .

Good luck

 

[ostrow]

Thanks to all! I was going to change water because after putting conditioner in for the lethargy, I saw the ick signs and the brown algae.

The tank is fairly new ... a month or so, and now I see the brown algae is common in new tanks. So I plan to change some water, vacuum the gravel and scrub the sides.

Will that keep it away or is it likely to come back?

Tank is small -- Eclipse System 6 -- I have a couple Wag Tail Platies and a couple Blue Variatus and one Molly. Tank has sealed hood with Bio-Wheel and standard flaurescent light which I keep on about half the day -- a good 12 hours. Water is around 71.

Thanks again. I'm hoping the brown algae is a passing phase...

 

[adeyc]

If your water is very heavily chlorinated. How long do you leave a bucket of the stuff sitting and what de-chlorinater/water conditioner you use. The Chlorine will dissapate from the water in time(usualy 24 hours or so. Quicker if you airate it.)
If all the Chlorine is out of the water you shouldn't need to condition it. Stress coat should only be used with newly transported fish. Aquarium salt does exactly the same as stress coat but is more natural. The process is osmosis, the fish require a small amount of salt to produce a natural slime coat(an enzyme. I can't remember the name). stress coat skips this proccess and coats the fish and can damage the gills. Usualy there is enough salt already in freshwater to for them to do this but occassionaly they need a helping hand due to certain ilnesses etc.The med's should have the correct amount added along with other things to help the proccess.
As the other's have stressed, there are a lot of fish to which adding salt is intolerable and the amounts you need to add are so small that it would give you a headache trying to work out and measure the dose. It's best to stay away from the stuff in my opinion.