questions about cycling, bifuran and biowheel

On May 1, 10:54*pm, "Dora Smith" wrote:
I don't know if my cycling is halfway under control or not. * Several people
on one of these lists advised me to keep my pH and temperature even when
making water changes - have obtained second air pump setup, heater and
thermometer and am doing much better with happier fish. * *pH in my tank is
steadily rising, ammonia and nitrites hovering around toxic levels, fish
won't eat, and one of them has a fuzzy white patch on its lip. *I believe
that is columnaris (which goes by six names and two kingdoms). * After
researching how to treat it and what's most available in the local pet
stores I got BiFuran, which says it's a double acting antibiotic good for
all bacterial and protozoan diseases.

That drug should work but one of the Maracyn would have been my
preference along with a dose of potassium permangante initially to
knock off the fungal mess, then place fish in a QT tank and treat the
fish in that tank, not in the display tank.

I have a concern about how to best use it with my biofilter, which plainly
is still growing. *Columnaris must be treated for 10 days. * If I took out
the biofilter for that long it the ammonia levels in my tank would go
through the roof, and wouldn't the biofilter die. * *Now, the fish store did
urge on me a filter pad that removes ammonia, still wondering if it's the
best thing and don't want to use it WITH the biofilter. * If I remove all
the ammonia in my tank for 10 days the bacteria will die anyway.

Its best to remove any biological filters before treating even ni a QT
tank.

One of the fish store people did suggest just let the process alone and let
the fish die. * Hmm. * But the columnaris would still be there for the next
fish.

Also the directions on the BiBuran bottle make no sense. * It says to change
the water completely before adding a dose, then change the water completely
EACH day before adding a new dose, for 7 days. * I shared my reaction to
that with the fish store people and their reaction was even more vehement
than mine; just change it 1/3 each day. * So, does that mean I add a third
of a dose of BiFuran, or a full dose?

The reason being is that the drug has a long half life so its easy to
get a higher than needed dose which can be fatal so they want the
water changed out so it does not get super laden with the drug and its
residuals. That is why the other drugs like Maracyn is better or even
the triple sulpha drugs, or Furanese. Even then its best to change
some water 10-25% since the water becomes loaded with DOC's which also
play a part in reducing oxygen content.........You do not mention what
kind of fish yo have, or the size tank., So if you have say a 2.5gal
or even a 3 gal tupper ware container for a QT tank y7ou can use a lot
less water for water changes as well as less drugs overall than one
would use treating a typically larger display tank.....

What is more, I do a smaller water change each morning, and it's got the
toxin levels more even and the fish considerably happier, and I've stopped
coming home at night to another dead fish. * So don't add any BiFluran when
I do that?

Remove all affected fish, and treat according to directions in a QT /
hospital tank until cured.....I really think your putting too much
effort to try and match water in tank to tank that is really
necessary. I have kept fish for 35+ years and pay attention only to
getting temp as close as possible or at least within a deg or two. A
lot of times folks just mess things up by trying to be too precise and
worrying about things that they do not have to. Temps fluctuate in the
wild as does PH.......so there is no reason to belive it is harmfull
in a home aquarium........get a simple cheap hang on the back power
filter or a Tetra Whisper in tank filter for the QT tank ........

I wondered if I could monitor the friendly bacteria with my good
micoroscopes. *Have photos of nitrobacter and nitrosomas in one of my
nitrogen cycle articles. * Look quite distinctive - up close. * Not under
1000 x basic highschool/ college microscope, LOL. * I saw a bunch of
oval-round bacteria, some plant debris probably from the fish food, and not
many rods which is probably a good thing.

Time owuld be better spent with proper water changes without getting
too involved indoing so, and setting up a QT tank. Maybe even two
tanks and do a large water change on the display tank. Cut back on
feeding and bio load and see why your ammonia levels are so high. Did
you stock this tank with a bunch of fish shortly after its initial
setup. That is what it sounds like, due to high ammonia levels.
Reducing food / feeding will not hurt a tank even if you restrict
foods for 4 or 5 days. Better to be a bit hungry than swim in ammonia
or always adjusting to water changes.....try it , you'[ll see reducing
food and feeding or eliminatiing it for a few days in a row will not
hurt a thing and most times fish actually benefit from it as well.

Our water from tap

pH 8.4 *(8.8 before aerating) * 7.9 after adding 1/5 distilled
KH 5.0 * 4.0 after adding distilled water
GH 8/0 * 6.0 after adding distilled water

Aquarium - 10 gallon, set up Sunday, 1/3 container of biospira, 5 black
phantom tetras

Monday 4/28 PM

one fish dead, four left. *Fish quiet, huddling in corner, one fish seems
ill and won't eat

pH *7.9 - 8.0
ammonia .25 - .5 ppm
nitrate 5.0 ppm
nitrite slight

ph replacement water 8.6 *(1/3 replaced), 1/3 of biospira

Tues 4/29 *AM
ph 7.8 7.9
ammonia .25
nitrate 5.0 ppm
nitrite = .25

Tues 4/29 PM
ammonia .25
nitrate 5.0 - 10.0
nitrite .25 - .50

another fish dead - three left. *Two of the others nibble a little food but
lose interest.

Wed 4/30 AM

pH *7.9 - 8.0
ammonia .25 - .5
nitrate 5.0 - 10.0
nitrite .25

1/6 water change

Wed PM

pH 7.8
ammonia .25 - .50
nitrate *5.0 - 6.0
nitrite .5

1/3 water change, rest of biospira, 4 capfuls of Cycle - 2 of them in the
filter tank.

One fish has white cottony stuff on lip, none will eat, otherwise seem
happier

Thurs AM *1/6 water change

Thurs 5/1 PM

pH 7.4
ammonia .5+
nitrates 5.0
nitrites .5-

1/3 water change
Added 2 tbsps aquarium salt
Microscope oval-round bacteria esp in filter compartment

One fish still has white cottony stuff on lip, swimming normally, won't eat

--
Yours,
Dora Smith
Austin, TX


KISS.(keep it simple) and from what you post it looks like your really
putting more into keeping the aquarium than needs be. No matter what
you do to a tank that is setup and stocked if it is not cycled, its
still going to have to cycle and water changes can actually be bad for
it as your also removing a lot of benefical bact as well as bad. I
think adding 5 fish to a 10 gal tank that is not fully cycled oculd
easily have caused this problem then again it may have just been the
fish you bought were not in the greatest of shape to begin with. Thats
why its best to have a QT tank with nothing in it other than water
fish and a filter......and to go easy on the quality you stock at any
given time until its well established which is going to be many many
months down the road if its done right, no matter if the ammonia and
nitrite levels are zero or not, it can still only support a given
amount of life until it adjusts and meets the demand, or else fish
will get stressed and diseases come up.