Cycling and meds

[enufluvfor3]

Okay, goes to show not to trust a single soal who works at the LFS. I was told by them to use the Hex-A-Mit and then another to use tetracycline for the stringy poop in my molly's. They still have it but it is improving. But....I am cycling and I think that has totally messed up my cycle. I have been cycling for 12 days now and have had HIGH ammonia for about 4 days and now it us up to 4-5. Yikes!!!! I put in some Ammo Carb today hoping that will help. I did my last dose of the tetracycline yesterday.

Major quetion with a lot of variable responses. How often and how much to siphon while cycling?????? I was told I was doing too much by doing every day so I cut down to every other day and then that is suposedly too much. Then I hear as often as possible to keep down levels. I am so darn confused. It's so much easier to keep my bettas.

My thinking is that the ammonia is probably more deadly to the fish then the stress of water changes and from what I hear I will grow new bacteria even with traces of ammonia, right? One girl told me not to siphon at all for two weeks...What!?!?!?

I also got a new filter because the one I had only had mechanical filtration so I got one that is both biological and mechanical and since It had a new sponge in it with my bacteria I floated my old filter in the tank to use some of that bacteria. Right or wrong? How long should it stay in there?

How long does it take for the Ammo Carb to work? I also added cycle but I hear mixxed reviews. I'm prety sure the bio spira was all killed off because of the meds.

Thanks for all your patience with me.

Heidi

 

[OrionGirl]

Again, when cycling with fish, your primary goal is to provide food for the bacteria while preventing the levels from becoming lethal to the fish. So, if your hobby test kit can detect ammonia, there is an ample supply for the bacteria--keep it as low as possible by doing frequent water changes. Water changes are not stressful to most fish. Are you stressed by taking a bath?

Tetracycline will kill off bacteria in droves. Any bacteria that had established themselves in your tank are likely now dead. I'd go get more Bio-Spira and follow the directions, without adding any chemicals or medications not needed specifically for addressing chlorine/chloramines.