Will putting a new filter pad in cause a mini cycle ?

[jhawk__]

My tanks been cycled for about a month now, and I've had an ich outbreak. I bought medication and it says to put the dosing in but take the current filter pad out and just let the filter run without it for 48 hours. Then it says to do a 25% water change and put a new filter pad in.

Will adding a new filter pad cause my tank to have a mini cycle or a whole new cycle?

 

[Valina]

I don't think you will have a full recycle, but may see a small rise...

The filter is not the only thing collecting the "good" bacteria. The substrate, ornaments, plants, etc. all collect bacteria.

I would check it every other day - or every 2nd day - to make sure things stay in line...

Val

 

[jhawk__]

I don't think you will have a full recycle, but may see a small rise...

The filter is not the only thing collecting the "good" bacteria. The substrate, ornaments, plants, etc. all collect bacteria.

I would check it every other day - or every 2nd day - to make sure things stay in line...

Val

Alright ill do that. Should I do a water change of levels get to high or just let it run its course?

 

[Valina]

Definitely do a WC if you see something get out of whack! Depending on how far out the readings are will determine how much.

But, if you are like me (work smarter, not harder - ) you will do a "larger than needed" WC to prevent having to do it tomorrow!

(And yes, I expect to get slammed for that comment! But, my fish are happy!)

Val

 

[molliwopp]

Are you sure it doesnt just say remove the carbon pad from your filter?

Your tanks only Been cycled a month and it WILL cause serious ammo problems with the chances of starting the cycle from the beginning highly likely. A mini cycle would be the best outcome and frankly thats optomistic. Make sure you read the label on the meds again. At this stage, touching the filter is a bad bad idea, but if you have too..

 

[jhawk__]

Definitely do a WC if you see something get out of whack! Depending on how far out the readings are will determine how much.

But, if you are like me (work smarter, not harder - ) you will do a "larger than needed" WC to prevent having to do it tomorrow!

(And yes, I expect to get slammed for that comment! But, my fish are happy!)

Val

Lol smart thinking!!! I like your idea.

 

[jhawk__]

Are you sure it doesnt just say remove the carbon pad from your filter?

Your tanks only Been cycled a month and it WILL cause serious ammo problems with the chances of starting the cycle from the beginning highly likely. A mini cycle would be the best outcome and frankly thats optomistic. Make sure you read the label on the meds again. Touching the filter is a bad idea, but if you have too..

Here's what the directions say

 

[molliwopp]

I don't think you will have a full recycle, but may see a small rise...

The filter is not the only thing collecting the "good" bacteria. The substrate, ornaments, plants, etc. all collect bacteria.

I would check it every other day - or every 2nd day - to make sure things stay in line...

Val

The tank is only a month and the substrate, plants, or decoration will have little to no bacteria on them in this extremely short space of time. If you HAVE to take the pad out, id keep it in a bucket of tank water and add a source of ammonia and something to air the water and replace it after treating.

 

[molliwopp]

Here's what the directions say

Yes the carbon.. Not the filter pad. The carbon needs to be removed as it would take the medication out of the water. What filter do you have? You may not even have carbon in it.

 

[SKB]

I +1 about the carbon, when I had an ich outbreak it said to take out the carbon. But some filters are made with carbon... So. If u haven't treated the tank already, and if u have a heater, I would slowly turn up the heat in the tank, maybe 2-4 degrees every hour or 2 (im pretty sure) until its about 82-86 degrees whatever your fish can handle. If you start seeing stress in your fish turn it down. If you don't keep it up until 1-2 weeks after u have seen the last evidence of ich.

The higher the heat, the faster the ich life cycle will be. Doesn't mean cook your fish. But that was the way I went. I also used salt. Idk what kind of fish you have but if u have salt tolerant fish and don't have plants, then you can add approximately ... A teaspoon per gallon (I'm pretty sure anyway). If your fish don't seem too stressed after that u can add a little bit more but keep in mind, salt doesn't evaporate out of the water, so it'll only come out with cleanings.

Cleaning your tank is the most important part. And since your tank is only a month old, the ich probably came in with a fish.

 

[SKB]

Also invest in a API master test kit if you haven't already. Maybe your water params are off and might have caused this issue.

 

[molliwopp]

I +1 about the carbon, when I had an ich outbreak it said to take out the carbon. But some filters are made with carbon... So. If u haven't treated the tank already, and if u have a heater, I would slowly turn up the heat in the tank, maybe 2-4 degrees every hour or 2 (im pretty sure) until its about 82-86 degrees whatever your fish can handle. If you start seeing stress in your fish turn it down. If you don't keep it up until 1-2 weeks after u have seen the last evidence of ich.

The higher the heat, the faster the ich life cycle will be. Doesn't mean cook your fish. But that was the way I went. I also used salt. Idk what kind of fish you have but if u have salt tolerant fish and don't have plants, then you can add approximately ... A teaspoon per gallon (I'm pretty sure anyway). If your fish don't seem too stressed after that u can add a little bit more but keep in mind, salt doesn't evaporate out of the water, so it'll only come out with cleanings.

Cleaning your tank is the most important part. And since your tank is only a month old, the ich probably came in with a fish.

I agree but he has medication already to treat the ich. Turning up the heat and adding salt aswell as medicating could push the fish over the edge.

 

[jhawk__]

Yes the carbon.. Not the filter pad. The carbon needs to be removed as it would take the medication out of the water. What filter do you have? You may not even have carbon in it.

I'm not sure what the carbon is. I have an aqueon quiet flow 10 either the filter pad it comes with.

 

[molliwopp]

I'm not sure what the carbon is. I have an aqueon quiet flow 10 either the filter pad it comes with.

The carbon sponge will be black in colour or it could be pellets, black also. If there are only blue sponges in the filter. You can treat the tank without touching the filter at all.

 

[jhawk__]

The carbon sponge will be black in colour or it could be pellets, black also. If there are only blue sponges in the filter. You can treat the tank without touching the filter at all.

There is things that almost look like black gravel inside the filter pad. Is that carbon?

 

[jlk]

Aqueon filter pads have very little carbon in them to begin with. If its been in your tank for a month already, it's likely already exhausted its potential to remove meds. Meds that suggest removing carbon base this on the assumption you are following manufacturers rec's of replacing the carbon constantly. New carbon will remove meds.

That said, there isn't an ich med that will completely eradicate ich in 24 or 48hrs. I would suggest treating with heat and/or salt depending on what type of fish you have.

 

[SKB]

Yes medication, heat and salt would be too much but I said if they havent already treated the tank. I just prefer the salt and heat method, I never had results in the medication route. Not saying it doesn't work.

But if you've already treated with your medication , just follow the directions on the back, but if you don't see black chalky or coal looking little things in your filter, it probably doesn't have carbon. If you want to be positive, call the store you bought it from or go there and see what the box says (assuming you threw your box out). Aside from that, if ur using meds, u don't want carbon taking it out, and if ur unsure if the filter has carbon, id remove it

 

[molliwopp]

There is things that almost look like black gravel inside the filter pad. Is that carbon?

Yes im affraid it probably is. Like jlk has said the carbon does eventually lose its properties of removing chems, its only a month old and it would still be a gamble if its exausted yet or not. Again jlk mentioned you can treat ich a different way without the use of medication and more importantly it works. Risking a recycle is a scary prospect and would recommend the heat route before removing your filter sponge.

 

[jhawk__]

I started the tank exactly on 1-26-13. I did a fish in cycle and haven't lost a fish yet.

Here's what I plan on doing, tell me if it will work.

I'm going to do the recommended dosage tomorrow and take the filter pad out as suggested. Ill put the pad in my other established tank so it stays wet and doesn't lose and beneficial bacteria. After 48 hours (2 days) ill do a 50% water change and put the filter pad back in. I won't put a new one in cause I don't want to risk any spikes.

Do they say to put a new filter pad in cause the old one could have ick in it?

Also, I'm using an API ick remover and API is very reliable so I trust it. I would do the salt and heat treatment but my dad already bought the med and would be very mad if I didn't use it and I don't want that to happen lol.

Does this sound like it will work?

 

[molliwopp]

48 hours sounds like a very short time for treatment. Ich can be inside the fishes skin for longer than 48hours and while its inside it cant be killed. If it says 48 hour treatment on the label theres a reason for it so considering that id suggest water changes every 48hrs before adding more. This is another plus of heat treatment you cant overdose it. 48hr treatment is quite misleading.

The filter could potentially hold afew paracites yes, another plus for the heat treatment.