Needing help with my 55

[budrecki]

Hello! Thank You both for the help!!!!! I don't think that I'm adding ammonia to the tank?

I'm quite sure one of the earlier posts stated you were adding powdered ammonia, but it looks as though you edited it....

If you sister lives locally, you could get some gravel or filter media to cycle your tank, OR, shell out the money for biospira

OTHER WISE

1. What are your ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate readings right now?
2. If there is any ammonia, or if the nitrite is above.5 , you need to do a water change. The amount will depend on the readings

I'm going to go test my water real quick and hope for the best............... My nitrites are still at 1 or 2 and my ammonia is at 1. So the ammonia's up a little bit. I just vacuumed my rock and did a 20% change this morning

If these numbers are still accurate you need to do a huge water change, like 75% or more, then test again and repeat as needed.


AS FOR THE ICH.....
What is your water temperature? Salt and heat alone can and will kill ich, when done properly. Your problem is the water changes. Every time you change the water (which will be very often for the next several weeks) you need to replace the salt, so invest in a few containers of salt. Table salt is fine, I've used it, it works fine.

With the combination of cycling and ich, you will probably use a few fish, but hopefully we can minimize this.

 

[budrecki]

I just hope the aquarium salt takes the nitrites down. Should I go ahead and put my carbon back in?????????????????????

The salt does not lower nitrites, it helps to minimize the poisonous effect they have on your fish.

It doesn't matter if you do or do not use carbon in this case.

 

[TheZoo]

If she wanted to put the carbon in to help remove the meds, it would help, yes? In addition to massive water changes, of course. You want to be doing water changes at least every other day, daily if you can, 50% would be great.
As stated, Salt is wonderful for ich, table salt works fine. Be sure to add teh correct amount to your replenishing water to keep up the salinity. Dont use salt with meds.

 

[syryjac2]

Thank You all once again!!!!!! Okay so no meds for the ich, I've got it! I'll use table salt instead of the aquarium salt, and it looks as though I need a huge water change, right? Oh- I haven't put any ammonia in my tank (I wasn't even aware of such a thing), I was asking how to get the ammonia and nitrites out. I lost another cory. Poor gourami is still hanging on, I keep hoping for the best. Oh- Do I continue the table salt or just til I'm sure the ich is gone. I didn't know if I eventually need to go back to the aquarium salt for my mollies and platys or if I can just continue the table salt. Thanks

 

[syryjac2]

I forgot to mention that my temperature is 80. Also wanted to add that I just tested again and my ammonia is 1, my nitrite is at 2 (unfortunately) , my nitrates are at 0, and my Ph is 7. I have live plants in the tank that my sister had given me out of hers when I first started all this. Will the table salt effect that in anyway , or is there anything I need to do special for the plants? I have water sprite, val, and Hornwort.

 

[TheZoo]

the amount of salt youll be using shouldnt affect your plants...youll be using around 2 tsp per gallon.
Re-read the Ich article by Daveedka, but basically you need to keep the salinity up for the lifespan of ich or risk a hardier strain appearing. If you have no heater in your tank, treat for several weeks. Maybe a month. If you have a heater and keep the heat up to the recommended level, you will treat for a shorter amount of time.
Oh, and Aquarium salt is generally a rip-off, freshwater fish dont need it, and any brackish water fish need marine salt which is totally different from both table and aquarium salt.

 

[syryjac2]

Thank You so much!!! I just did my 75% change and added the table salt. I hope I wake up and haven't lost anymore. I hope my frogs , shrimp and pleco can handle it all well to.

 

[darli]

hi syryjac2,
Obviously, Fish can not live long in those ammonia and nitrites levels. As you were told, water changes, big ones are your only way out of this.
Raise your temp to at least 86. Ick will reproduce slower at high tempetures.
At this tempeture, you might want to add an air pump to create "remous" and add oxygen also, raise your filter to it's max power if you can, this will also increase the oxygen and help your nh4 and no2 to go down.
If you saw good (meaning 0 nh4 and n02) levels prior to bringing your new fish in, I think you might of brought to many to fast. This is why you're at this point now.
Salt if a good ick treatment BUT not table (iodized) salt. You can us the corse pickeling "windsor" salt, that would be better.
As for you carbon, it's not required in any aquarium Except for removing meds when used.
I would also suggest you get your fish in a big rubbermaid tub with water changes 25% everyday + the air pump. At least until your tank settles and your levels are at 0.
Good luck to you.

 

[TheZoo]

Salt if a good ick treatment BUT not table (iodized) salt. You can us the corse pickeling "windsor" salt, that would be better.

I used table salt, iodized table salt for my fishs ich treatment awhile back. It worked fine, as it has for many people who advised it to me. I know others have used other salts, which work as well. But table salt isnt a problem.

I would also suggest you get your fish in a big rubbermaid tub with water changes 25% everyday + the air pump. At least until your tank settles and your levels are at 0.
Good luck to you.

If you move your fish, know that the ich parasite can only live for so long without a host, so theres no need to treat the tank. But only if you leave it fishless for so long (see ich article, cant remember the life cycle) And be careful returning the fish to the tank so you dont get your levels all out of whack again.

 

[syryjac2]

Hello Darli-

Thank You for the advice. I added the table salt last night when I did the 75% change. I didn't know to move them out though. I unfortunately woke up to find I had lost my last dwarf gourami . Now it appears as though my littlest silver dollar has mouth rot. And the bigger one keeps staying at the bottom of my tank. Oh Boy what a mess............. zoo Thank You for your advice also, all is appreciated!!!!!!!