New tank with Ich, Low readings...

Hi gang!

I have a mysterious situation... Here's a bit of back ground... 135 gal
tank with 6 med/small Clown Loaches (CL), 3 Angels, 1 Pearl and 2
Opaline small Gouramis, a 1 Blue Ram Cichlid (super colorful!), and
some (17) misc tiney "dither fishes", I did not add them all at once.
The setup is about 2 months old, filtraion is 2 AC 500/110's and an
Eheim 2217 all were "seeded" with used sponges and/or aquachargers. I
just vaccumed all gravel and it was quite dirty although Ammonia and
Nitrate were testing zero! I don't have any other test kits so other
readings unknown. Half of the CL's are the only ones with visible signs
of Ich and rubbing/scratching themselves on gravel/drift wood,
mild/medium amount of white spots visible as of now. Yesterday I
treated 1/2 dose (2Tbs/6tsp/30mL depending on your favorite
measurement) with Wardley's Ick away and trying to raise temp (it takes
a while in a big tank) from upper 70's to mid 80's. Today LFS
recommended Kordon Rid-Ich and I put cardon back in with 35% (45
gallon! Boy that's ALOT of water!) water change with 1Tbs/3tsp salt per
5 gal plus conditioner and plan to treat again with Rid-Ich 1/2 dose
tonight after removing carbon again... All are eating very well and
othersie acting normally. I try to use many different foods, mostly
frozen. Please recommend if my plan is sound.

Questions:
-Are Zero ammonia and nitrate good? This is the mysterious part to me.
-One CL deid a few days ago with suddenly having very red gills, chin
and face, why? Was he attacked by a bigger rogue CL? It seemed like a
sudden trauma.
-One CL showed up dead today and looked like he died a few days ago in
hiding, looked like he had Ick.
-If I have a new tank with fresh water (half PHX AZ hard tap and half
RO water) and seed with filters will the bio-slime die/colapse with no
ammonia to feed it?
-I've been obsessing over bio filtration, each tank has at least two
filters (example 55 with two AC500/110's) that each alone would be
adequate to do the job, this can't be a bad thing... Can it?
-I'm soon to set up a permanent quanteen/hospital 10 gal tank just to
have ready at all times, should I add gravel? Should I have a couple
critters (gold fish) in there just to keep it cycling?
-I love CL's and have noticed they are not always so innocuous, is this
so? Can they be "trouble makers" too? I have one that just looks (in
the eyes) plain psycho like in the movie Jaws as the shark attacks.

Thanks for a great group and as always comments/recommandations are
invited please...

Happy Turkey Day to all!!!
Karl.
(aol email is shut off, Please use

wrote:
Hi gang!

Questions:
-Are Zero ammonia and nitrate good? This is the mysterious part to me.

Zero ammonia is good, zero nitrates is unusual, but not not as much in
a new aquarium where RO has been used.

-One CL deid a few days ago with suddenly having very red gills, chin
and face, why? Was he attacked by a bigger rogue CL? It seemed like a
sudden trauma.

I doubt it, but but fish do have personalities, so it is possible. More
likely the trauma brought on by the ich infestation.

-One CL showed up dead today and looked like he died a few days ago in
hiding, looked like he had Ick.

Ich will infect each different fish at different levels, depending on
health. Maintain a kH above 80 ppm to provide calcium which is
important to proper osmodic funtion and is reallly important when
treating for ich.
http://www.americanaquariumproducts....arium_Ich.html

-If I have a new tank with fresh water (half PHX AZ hard tap and half
RO water) and seed with filters will the bio-slime die/colapse with no
ammonia to feed it?

I would add ammonia or even some fish food to feed the bacteria.
http://aquarium-nitrogen-cycle.blogspot.com/

-I've been obsessing over bio filtration, each tank has at least two
filters (example 55 with two AC500/110's) that each alone would be
adequate to do the job, this can't be a bad thing... Can it?

No, just make sure you rinse the sponges that come with the AC500s in
used tank water or de-clorinated tap water.

-I'm soon to set up a permanent quanteen/hospital 10 gal tank just to
have ready at all times, should I add gravel? Should I have a couple
critters (gold fish) in there just to keep it cycling?

No gravel, but sponge filters are best. I would use another fish that
is less dirty (although that is your point), it is just that goldfish
do not digest their food as well and have a tendancy to spread disease.
http://spongefilter.blogspot.com/

-I love CL's and have noticed they are not always so innocuous, is this
so? Can they be "trouble makers" too? I have one that just looks (in
the eyes) plain psycho like in the movie Jaws as the shark attacks.

CL are great fish, they do seem to contract ich very easily, which is
why I have often used Medicated Wonder Shells with them to prevent
disease in my aquarium maintenance business.


Thanks for a great group and as always comments/recommandations are
invited please...

Good luck, Carl