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.
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.
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?
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?
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.
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
tiggernut24@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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