Ich In My Tank: How Much Salt if any with chemicals?

[New Fish]

I have gone too fast with my new 20 gal tank. I cycled the water with two golds for 50 days tested the water then added 2 black neon and 3 tigers. Next 30 days the heater broke and had a lot of green muck. 30 days later I replaced the heater, added a sub pump, added a hang on back filter and added 1 clown loach, 4 neons, and 1 sucker , and 2 other fish. ( i don't even know what type they are)

NOW I HAVE ICH!!!!!!!!

Should you raise the Temp to 86 F. and still treat with chemicals?

Should you add salt with chemicals? If yes how much for a 20 gallon tank?

Should I Change the water 10 % once a week? HELP the new guy.

 

[mortiss]

I know there are many others who have more experience here and there is a great article on ick in the "articles" section that will help you - but as for your chemical question, should you choose to use any at all along with salt (although not absolutely necessary) I know that AquariSol and salt go along ok. But chemicals are not the best way to go since they are toxic to the fish. Heat and salt worked wonders on my 55 gal just last month!

 

[New Fish]

ICH in 20 gallon tank

How much salt per gallon and how long do you use it?

 

[Thaiboxer]

I've had great success cranking the heat up to 86 (slowly! like 2 degrees every couple hours till it gets there) and using salt. Depending on the type you get... I've always used one tablespoon per 5 gallons of water.

In my experience, ich meds are a waste of money and kill more fish than they save.

 

[mortiss]

I've also used 1 rounded tablespoon per 5 gallons, but to be precise you need to get the right ppm in order to be effective against ick, it needs to be 2-3ppm. you can measure the speciic gravity with a hydrometer and you want to get it about 1.002-1.003. You replace the salt in your water changes. I vacuumed the gravel and changed 20% every 2-3 days and when I added the new water, I just put enought salt for that amount. The salt stays in your water even if the water evaporates, so you only need to use it during water changes. After the ick has been gone a while you can stop using the salt. I left my temps up and used salt 2 weeks after I saw the last spot just to be sure I caught it all.

 

[Allivymar]

Hiya New Fish and welcome to Aquariumadvice:

Do read the article; it will answer a lot of your questions: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/showquestion.php?faq=2&fldAuto=32

 

[oscarbreeder]

Alli,
That is a very informative article on ICH.
By reading it I have found out that I am doing things right as I am in a battle with ICH on an Oscar I rescued from wal-mart(of course).
Thanks for taking the time to write it.
I give it two thumbs up.

 

[Allivymar]

*grin* Thanx oscarbreeder.

And have a coupla kudos for rescuing the oscar. I know of ONE Wallymart that has good fish care; most are death farms.

 

[jsoong]

I've also used 1 rounded tablespoon per 5 gallons, but to be precise you need to get the right ppm in order to be effective against ick, it needs to be 2-3ppm. you can measure the speciic gravity with a hydrometer and you want to get it about 1.002-1.003. .

Not to be too picky. But the correct amount of salt for ich is 2-3 parts per *thousand* (not ppm). The hydrometer reading of 1.002-1.003 is correct tho. (You can also call this 0.2 - 0.3% salt)

When I treated ich with salt, I raised the salt level by 0.1% every 12 hours till the desired level (0.3% = 3 doses). Instead of using a hydrometer (I don't own one!), I added the salt by weight using an electronic kitchen scale:

0.1% (aka 0.1g%) = 0.1g per 100 ml water, or 1g per 1L. Or roughly 4 g per gal. to raise salt level by 0.1%. Note there is 30g in one oz if you are using non-metric scale.

 

[New Fish]

The Fish are much better I'm changing about 15% of the water once per week and with salt. I lost my clown loach But the remaining neons , tetras and sucker are doing well..... How long should i wait to add any new fish to the tank? should i put any new fish in my 10 gallon gold fish tank , as my holding tank?

 

[Allivymar]

I'm sorry bout the loach , but pleased to hear the others are doing ok!

I'd give it 2 weeks after the last sign of ich before adding any new fish. And I wouldn't hold them in the goldfish tank. You really need to QT them in their own tank for at least 2 weeks for a number of reasons: One because goldfish and tropical fish have very different needs such as temps and food and two, because if they are ill, you'll wind up making the goldfish sick as well.

 

[mortiss]

"Not to be too picky. But the correct amount of salt for ich is 2-3 parts per *thousand* (not ppm). The hydrometer reading of 1.002-1.003 is correct tho. (You can also call this 0.2 - 0.3% salt)"

Thanks jsoong and can I say HOLY COW what an oversight. 2-3 ppm wouldn't even make the ick itch 8O I should be more careful and actually think before I type. Sorry about that, there i go thinking about one thing and talking about another
Macy

 

[mortiss]

"Not to be too picky. But the correct amount of salt for ich is 2-3 parts per *thousand* (not ppm). The hydrometer reading of 1.002-1.003 is correct tho. (You can also call this 0.2 - 0.3% salt)"

Thanks jsoong and can I say HOLY COW what an oversight. 2-3 ppm wouldn't even make the ick itch 8O I should be more careful and actually think before I type. Sorry about that, there i go thinking about one thing and talking about another
Macy