some planted tank issues

[Shazor]

ok I have a 20 gallon planted aquarium. Currently there are 2 black molly's, 2 platies, 1 blue ram, 2 oto's and about 4 ghost shrimp in the tank.

I noticed the other day both of my molly's had what appeared to be Ick. Generally I would just put medication in the tank and cure it but since it has alot of plants I'm scared to kill them off. I read something about raising the temp to 82 and adding a little salt. So I raised the temp to 82 and I added about 2 tablespoons of salt. The salt container recommended 4 tablespoons for 20 gallons.

Ok later I read that salt is bad for plants. So have I screwed up my tank? The mollies are looking better coincidentally. None of the other fish in tank have any signs of Ick or stress. I do have a bottle of maracide I can use if need be. I'm just afraid it might harm the plants or at the very least kill off the shrimp in the tank.

 

[Timmain42]

Having fed dozens of ghost shrimp to saltwater puffers, I think a little salt would not be dangerous. And if I'm not mistaken, Epsom Salts are used to raise General Hardness (GH) in planted tanks.

Anyone else?

 

[rich]

huh a week ago i had the same thing happen to me. ich appeared on an oto, added super ich, got rid of ich but killed 2 cories, pulled out super ich, a kuhli developed ich, added salt to tank at 1 tablespoon per 5 gal, cured ich but a few of my plants began to have a meltdown, did a massive water change which cleared the salt, now it looks like my male apisto has a couple white spots. not sure if ill do the salt again or go get a "safe for scaleless fish" ich medicine.

 

[Sumpin'fishy]

The first thing that should be done is get information on your situation, then take action, then stick with that treatment for the full duration suggested. When you medicate, see a fish get sick or die, then remove medicine, then add a bunch of salt, then massive water change........of coarse you will continue to have problems in that tank.

Just for the record, I have successfully treated disease in my planted tanks using both salt and medications (at different times). I will now only use ich medicines if salt doesn't appear to be working (which has never happened to me after about 20 trials). In a planted tank, I'd dose half of the suggested amounts, which would be about 1 TBSP/10 gallons. Normally 1TBSP/5 gallons is fine. I have used this dosage even with plecos. I have done half dose in my planted tanks (with ottos) with no adverse affects. The trick is to slowly adjust the water to being more saline. Don't adjust anything quickly. Also, raise the temp to about 80 (or 82 if you prefer). I don't go that high in most tanks, but have on a few occasions. I treat with salt and raised temp for a solid TWO WEEK PERIOD.......no less! If this doesn't work, then start using medicine (just one), and do frequent water changes. Daily is not too often! You can even continue the salt treatment, if you like, during medicine period. Do more thorough cleanings of tank at every water change. Pray!

I have tried medicines, which sometimes fail to cure the ich (although usually do), but it also can be bad for plants. Crypts and sensitive plants might not like salt being added all at once (do it gradually), but I have several in my tanks growing just fine. I have NEVER used salt and temp and NOT CURED ich in any tank! It is better to erradicate the ich infestation, than continue halting medicine or other treatments half way through their cycles. FINISH THE TREATMENTS.

Just for info: Ich has a life cycle of about 3 weeks at 70 degrees, but at 80 it drops to about 5 days! I take advantage of that, salt, and thorough cleanings of the gravel (surface only in planted tanks), and continue the treatment for 2 weeks, just to make sure!

 

[Shazor]

Thanks for the replies.

I'd just like to say that the addition of 2 tablespoons salt into 20 gallons of water and raising tempt to 82 seems to have cured the ick. Its been 5 days and the molly's are back to being very active and showing almost no sign of white dots. I did have one of my oto's die and I'm wondering if it had something to do with the salt treatment.

Now if I could only buy that Coralife Aqualight power compact I want for the tank. I currently have 30 watts of lighting and the coralife unit puts out 65 watts.

 

[Sumpin'fishy]

I'm glad things are getting sorted out. Don't stop your salt treatment yet, though! Go one more week. Keep things stable. Do a 50% water change this weekend, and add one more TBSP of salt after the water change. Next weekend, if things are still clear, just do another 50% water change (clean well on both changes) and don't add any more salt. Resume normal schedule.

 

[Cearbhaill]

If you have access to a diatom filter it will greatly aid in eradicating ich with the "more natural/less chemical" approach. Any of the little buggers you can catch in the free swimming stage are that many less to have to worry about later.