question regarding test kits... ick too

[illuminum]

I have just bought an all-in-one test kit and was wondering if it had all the tests necessary for monitoring my 12 gallon tank. It measures nitrate, nitrite, hardeness, alkalinity, and the ph level.


As of noe my readings are as follows:
nitrate 20 mg/L
nitrite0-.5 mg/L
hardness 76 GH
alkalinity 120 KH
ph 7.5

These are about as accurate as I can get with the test kit I got. I've had my tank for a little under 2 weeks. 5 rainbow tetras and no real plants.

PS - I've had ick for 5-6 days and I've been madicating for 3 or 4. How long does it take for it to go away?

 

[shawmutt]

As far as the test kit, it's fine, except for ammonia. You really want an ammonia kit for cycling.

It took 4 days for my ich to go away, but others on this site told me to keep on medicating, so I'm medicating until thursday. Of course, it took my whole population of cardinals with it . What are you using for meds? I used malachite green.

HTH

~Mike

 

[bada]

An ammonia test kit is very very very very imoprtant! I lost a lot of fish due to high ammonia levels!

I am also wondering what you are using as meds. You can also add some extra stress coat. It has aloe and seems to help! Good luck!

 

[illuminum]

I'md using Kordon Rid-Ich + disease treatment. It stains the water blue. On the bottle it says to remove that carbon filter, which I do, but am I also supposed to remove my bio wheel as well? All my fish seem womewhat better with the exception of one which has torn up fins and a whole lot of ich all over it. I don't know what's really up with him. I'll get an ammonia kit tomorrow and I'll keep my tank situation updated. The eclipse tank came with some biocoat stuff so I'll add that in the tank first thing tomorrow.

 

[bada]

If what you are using is what I think it is, it will kill off all your beneficial bacteria! I would take out the bio wheel cause this med will kill the beneficial bacteria on it too. How long has your tank been set up? The torn up fins worries me. Do they have any white wispys coming off of them? That could be a bacterial infection they got from ammonia burns. Very bad stuff! Do you use stress coat?

 

[bada]

If what you are using is what I think it is, it will kill off all your beneficial bacteria! I would take out the bio wheel cause this med will kill the beneficial bacteria on it too. How long has your tank been set up? The torn up fins worries me. Do they have any white wispys coming off of them? That could be a bacterial infection they got from ammonia burns. Very bad stuff! Do you use stress coat?