Am I missing something??

[razmataz1971]

OK, per my previous post under unhealty fish http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=35633


I'm currently treating my tank with Maracyn Two. I got home late last night and the tank is cloudy. Today will be day 3 of the 5 day treatment.

I tested the water and the Ammonia, NO2 and NO3 are still all at ZERO. Tank Temp is 78F.

I woke up this morning and it's a little more cloudy. So I did a PWC about 5 hours ago. I removed 25 gal and vacumned the gravel a bit. Talk about dirty gravel for being 2 weeks old. I had wanted to wait about 4 weeks before I add bottom feeders so I could let some food establish on the bottom of the tank. I didn't do a complete vacumn because of that reason. (I have one of those cheap syphon vacs) Anyhow, I added some water clarifyer after the change and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. I'll be adding the 3rd day med dosage in about an hour.

Is it just the meds doing this or is it time to get some bottom feeders? If I do get some bottom feeders, it's going to be a group of 6 varied corys.

 

[TankGirl]

Do not get any more fish until the tank is established and stable, meaning the cycle is done, not treating with meds, etc.

I am sure this is the result of treating with antibiotics, and I would not concern myself with the cloudiness at this point, but rather with water params. No ammonia or NO2?? That's puzzling, but a water change is a good idea. Skip the water clarifier, you need to get the tank stable first.

Food accumulating on the bottom is not food for bottom feeders, it's rotting gunk that will foul your water. Whenever you want to get bottom feeders, feed them sinking pellets, because they won't want to eat decaying food any more than any other fish would. Gently vacuum your gravel with every water change to try to get the debris out of there, but don't be too aggressive because you can kill your biofilter disturbing the gravel too much at this point.

 

[razmataz1971]

I swear. There hasn't been any trace of Ammonia or NO2 since I first put the tank up. I added the live bacteria culture to get the biofilter going once. I admit that the tank ran a week without fish and because the water readings were all at ZERO, I gave it a shot adding fish. I am in week 2 since the set up.

Since I added the fish, it was still all at ZERO and that was testing twice a day. Once in the AM and once in the PM. Now I test every other day. I tested this AM before the PWC and everything still at ZERO.

I gently vacuumed the gravel but didn't remove all of the decay. I can see it being cloudy today after the PWC, but not last night. The med box said to water change at the end dosing, so I think I'll do a 50% and really vacuum at day 6. Also place the carbon filter back in. Maybe vacuum half the tank real good and then a week later vacuum the other half.

At this point, maybe instead of lightly feeding, I'll feed every other day until I get bottom feeders. Maybe I should of added them little guys first with the Angels.

 

[FawnN]

I admit that the tank ran a week without fish and because the water readings were all at ZERO, I gave it a shot adding fish.

Your cycle does not begin with just setting up your tank. Your bacteria needs ammonia (decaying food or fish waste) for your bacteria to grow and multiply. That is why you never got a reading the first week. So in actuality, you can't count that first week in your cycling time.

I"m confused with what you described. Why are you doing water changes when your readings are still at zero? It takes awhile for your ammonia to build up and if your doing so many water changes, you are removing the ammonia that is needed for your bacteria to grow. And what is that decay at the bottom of your tank? How many fish do you currently have in there now? What exactly are your treating with the Maracyn-Two?

As for your bottom feeders. You really shouldn't get Cory's because you are having extra food collecting at the bottom. IMO, bottom feeders should be present because they are cool to look at and are a great addition to any tank. You shouldn't get it to solve your over feeding issues. They too, need a well balanced diet.

What are your water parameters now?

 

[Menagerie]

I always feed my fish every other day.
My guess is that you never had ammonia or nitrites to read. You are just beginning your cycle. The cloudyness could be due to the meds, or "new tank syndrome."

 

[razmataz1971]

Fawn...Without coming across rude because that's not my intention, if you read my post, you would of clicked on the link I posted and read thru that to answer some of the questions. If you look at my sig, it tells you what I have in the tank.

I'm not overfeeding my tank. Matter of fact, I feed once a day. My water readings are still at ZERO. I use the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master Kit so I know its accurate. The "decay" on the bottom of my tank was food I placed to establish the bio system for my bottom feeders when I get them. I'm new at this, so I figure, why throw in bottom feeders without anyway for them to feed.

 

[FawnN]

If you look at my sig, it tells you what I have in the tank

I only asked because you were medicating and I felt it was better to ask you again just in case your fish had changed in numbers.

You still did not answer the questions asked for us to help you. How often are you doing testings and why are you doing so many water changes?

What are your readings now?

 

[Menagerie]

I tried looking this up, but didn't find what I was looking for. Does Maracyn Two kill the beneficial bacteria in the filter?

One of the Rams looks like it has a small fuzz on it's eye (Kinda looks like he's blind) and one of the Angels has a tad bit of fuzz on a fin.

What is the physical condition of the fish now?

The cloudyness of the tank may be due to "new tank syndrome."

 

[FawnN]

Maracyn-two claims it doesn't affect your biological filter, but it does cloud your water up, which is normal. It should clear up after you are done medicating and your water change has been done.

 

[razmataz1971]

Menagerie, the fish still look the same.

Dawn, I only done 1 water change since it's been up and that was to help with some of the cloudiness because the clarifyer wasn't helping. My fish don't have any signs of stress at all. If my readings were at ZERO, I still would do a PWC because I've been reading here to do PWC every week anyway. Am I not right??

You know what, Here's my journal. :?

Oct 12: 2pm
New tank. Added Water Conditioner and Bacteria Starter

Oct 13: 11am
Ph: 7.6, Ammonia: .5 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F
Oct 13: 10pm
Ph: 7.6, Ammonia: .5 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F

Oct 14: 10am
Ph: 7.6, Ammonia: .5 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F
Oct 14: 10pm
Ph: 7.6, Ammonia: .2 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F

Oct 15: 10am
Ph: 7.6, Ammonia: .2 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F
Oct 15: 11pm
Ph 7.6, Ammonia: .2 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F

Oct 16 - Oct 22 (tested at 10am and 10pm)
Ph:7.6, Ammonia: 0 No2: 0 No3 0 Tank Temp 78F

Oct 23: 11am Added 2 Angels - No feeding
Ph: 7.6 Ammonia: 0 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F
Oct 24: 6pm - Fed 1/4 tsp of flakes Fish lightly eating
Ph: 7.6 Ammonia: 0 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F

Oct 25: 10am - Fed 1/4 tsp of flakes - Fish eating well
Ph:7.6 Ammonia: 0 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F
Oct 25: 6pm -Fed 1/4 tsp of flakes - Fish eating well
Ph 7.6 Ammonia: 0 No2:0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F

Oct 26: 10am Added remaining fish. Floated bag for 25 mins. No feeding
Ph: 7.6, Ammonia: 0 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F
Oct 26: 6pm - Fish getting along well. All swimming around - No feeding
PH: 7.6 Ammonia: 0 No2: 0 No3: 0 Tank Temp 78F

TO SAVE UP SOME SPACE:

Oct 27-Oct 29 - Remained testing twice a day in AM and PM. Fed 1/2 tsp flakes twice a day AM and PM. Readings all the same with no change. Water still clear.

Oct 30 6pm: Noticed white spot on Rams eye, and fuzz like spots (very few) on Angel. Added Ich-X thinking Ich.

Oct 31: Per AA advice, not Ich. Removed Carbon Filter on Eheim and bought Maracyn-Two. Continue Treatment for 5 days.

Nov 1: No water test in the AM
Nov 1: 11pm - Water looks cloudy. Water test done
Ph 7.6 Ammonia: 0 No2: 0 No3: 0

Nov 2: Water looks more cloudy. Water tested. Parameters still same. Will do PWC to help with cloudyness.

THAT'S MY JOURNAL SO FAR. Feedings were 1/2 tsp twice a day AM and PM since Oct 27.

 

[FawnN]

Kudos to you for keeping a log. That's great!! As far as the cloudiness goes, I know it's hard to look at, but I wouldn't do any more water changes until you get a reading.

Maracyn-two does cloud up your water and on top of that you are going through the normal cloudiness of the nitrogen cycle, so it probably looks worse then it really is. And I personally think that your water changes are stunting the growth of the beneficial bacteria.

Keep up with your water testings and don't do anymore water changes until you are done medicating to remove the meds. If possible, lower the level of water in your tank and add an airstone to give your tank more O2 at the surface to aid in the growth of your bacteria.

Once your done medicating, your cycling should pick up.

 

[razmataz1971]

Thanks. I have a bubble wand in the tank for more O2. My Eheim came with a spraybar, but I felt I needed more, so right after I added the Angels, I added the wand.

After I'm done treating with the meds, I was placing the carbon filter back in letting it cycle for a few days then doing a PWC a few days later.

Thanks again for all the wonderful advice.