cmjentinger
Aquarium Advice Newbie
How many times have you heard that? Ok, so WhiteDevil found me on another forum and told me to come here for my smackdown.
My family had to get rids of cats and dog due to asthma and so we decided to adopt some fish. The LFS talked us into a 55 Gal freshwater with Emperor 400 biowheel and 6 little fish (5 platys and a mollie - hardy they said) to get the cycle done. Because I know nothing, I generally buy what they say to and follow their advice. My LFS specializes in fresh /saltwater aquariums and ponds. The kids in there are awfully young but they work there so...
My water comes from the tap but is conditioned with Amquel and sets about an hour before adding. Everything was going fine until ick came along and LFS gave my Rid-ICk+ to cure it...it did (I thought). Wife and kids got 6 more fish while I was in Mexico and there they were when I got home.
Now I am in full on ammonia battle mode and I've only lost 1 fish. So my timeline goes like this
bought 55 tank and stuff in Feb and set it up.
three days later got 6 little fish
end of two weeks ammonian getting to be a problem so started 10 gal water changes every other day to control it (occasionally added Amquel to tank when ammonia got too high)
Caught ICK and used Rid-Ick to clear it up according to bottle directions
End of one month and I go on a trip to Mex for a week come home to 12 fish ... OMG!
two weeks later (in middle of constant ammonia spikes, water changes, Amquel, etc) I get fin rot
LFS gives me Melafix to clear it up...it does followed directions on bottle
Now I am around 3 months and Ick is back. Started treatment yesterday
Each time meds go in, carbon comes out and it replaced after meds go out. Water changes at 10 gal every two days.
I just got back from Petsmart (not LFS) for Ammo-lock and drop type test kits for ph and ammonia.
Current water conditions
Ick (treating with 88 deg water, Rid-Ick+, and 1/2 tbl salt per 5 gallons)
When I used my strips this morning I got
(API test strip)
Ammonia - Higher than 3.0 but less than 6.0
(Jungle Laboratories 6 in 1 strips)
Nitrate - a bit higher than 0 but less than 20
Nitrite - 0
Hardness - 150
Chlorine - 0
Akalinity - 125
PH - 7.4
API's drop type kit says ammonia is between 2-4
API's PH kit says PH is 7.6
The little guys get enough food for about 20 seconds of war because I'm afriad of the ammonia. My tank has the following residents...
My tank has
1 molly
4 platys
1 guppy
1 pleco
2 neon tetras
1 blackskirt terta
1 fancy terta (orange with black top fin)
1 painted tetra (looks like someone painted it green)
I've managed to keep them alive this long and they are very vigorous (you should see them eat). Everyone looks good and acts good with the exception of the ICK on the 2 neon tetras.
I accept your smackdowns. You help is appreciated. Here you go WhiteDevil...
My family had to get rids of cats and dog due to asthma and so we decided to adopt some fish. The LFS talked us into a 55 Gal freshwater with Emperor 400 biowheel and 6 little fish (5 platys and a mollie - hardy they said) to get the cycle done. Because I know nothing, I generally buy what they say to and follow their advice. My LFS specializes in fresh /saltwater aquariums and ponds. The kids in there are awfully young but they work there so...
My water comes from the tap but is conditioned with Amquel and sets about an hour before adding. Everything was going fine until ick came along and LFS gave my Rid-ICk+ to cure it...it did (I thought). Wife and kids got 6 more fish while I was in Mexico and there they were when I got home.
Now I am in full on ammonia battle mode and I've only lost 1 fish. So my timeline goes like this
bought 55 tank and stuff in Feb and set it up.
three days later got 6 little fish
end of two weeks ammonian getting to be a problem so started 10 gal water changes every other day to control it (occasionally added Amquel to tank when ammonia got too high)
Caught ICK and used Rid-Ick to clear it up according to bottle directions
End of one month and I go on a trip to Mex for a week come home to 12 fish ... OMG!
two weeks later (in middle of constant ammonia spikes, water changes, Amquel, etc) I get fin rot
LFS gives me Melafix to clear it up...it does followed directions on bottle
Now I am around 3 months and Ick is back. Started treatment yesterday
Each time meds go in, carbon comes out and it replaced after meds go out. Water changes at 10 gal every two days.
I just got back from Petsmart (not LFS) for Ammo-lock and drop type test kits for ph and ammonia.
Current water conditions
Ick (treating with 88 deg water, Rid-Ick+, and 1/2 tbl salt per 5 gallons)
When I used my strips this morning I got
(API test strip)
Ammonia - Higher than 3.0 but less than 6.0
(Jungle Laboratories 6 in 1 strips)
Nitrate - a bit higher than 0 but less than 20
Nitrite - 0
Hardness - 150
Chlorine - 0
Akalinity - 125
PH - 7.4
API's drop type kit says ammonia is between 2-4
API's PH kit says PH is 7.6
The little guys get enough food for about 20 seconds of war because I'm afriad of the ammonia. My tank has the following residents...
My tank has
1 molly
4 platys
1 guppy
1 pleco
2 neon tetras
1 blackskirt terta
1 fancy terta (orange with black top fin)
1 painted tetra (looks like someone painted it green)
I've managed to keep them alive this long and they are very vigorous (you should see them eat). Everyone looks good and acts good with the exception of the ICK on the 2 neon tetras.
I accept your smackdowns. You help is appreciated. Here you go WhiteDevil...