xXInkedPhoenixX

How's it going? Improving I hope?

Fantastic!

The more plants the healthier the tank seems to be, they also help soak up your Nitrates. If you want snails for algae, get yourself a Nerite snail they're the best IMO and they can't reproduce- they need algae and don't eat commercial foods so there is a very fine balance as to how many you can actually have. You can get those at petco typically but don't start adding life to your tanks until you cure the illnesses and you decide where everyone is going. As long as everyone is healthy, the water parameters are similar and everyone will get along I would definitely not have a problem down sizing. I actually have a plan for that myself (I have 6 tanks) if things get overwhelming or something takes my time away from my tanks. Adding substrate and plants from one tank to another shouldn't be an issue (again as long as it's coming from a healthy tank) and it may even help establish/keep your cycles going.

Ah cool. That will help. I agree with @Patrick_G do a good sized water change before you dose this med. Since I've used it before I can tell you that you can extend treatment as long as you see spots just monitor your ammonia levels and water change if you have to, as it is you will do at least a 25% water change after 48 hours. I had contacted API about water changes and continuing treatment- they confirmed it was ok to do water changes on the 2nd day and then on the 4th- but also continue beyond that if I was still seeing symptoms. Attached is my questions (I cut out my parameters/preamble) and their answer:

Well, part of that might be because the imagitarium product is basically a form of melafix or pimafix, neither of which are very effective. Do you have Ich-x coming? Otherwise the big box stores sell API, maybe get Super Ick Cure- I see it's available at walmart. Herbal products sadly don't work great. If you get Ich-x or Super Ick that should help you see the end of it (Super Ick will dye your silicone, airline/suction cups, decorations but I never cared too much)

Which med did you get for Ich?

Algae can be our friend, if they don't try and take over and also feed some of our inhabitants. 🙃

Welcome to the forum! Beautiful tank pictures!!

This can be pretty overwhelming at times can't it. Sorry for that, it can certainly suck. I've been through Ich 3x- it's a pain but if you're diligent in your treatment and follow the medication directions YOU CAN get through this. It sounds as if you're a bit overwhelmed with the tanks you have? How many? Maybe you need to consider consolidating? Rehoming the babies when they are grown. If you consolidate to your best or biggest tank you can move the plants there (more plants the better), add filtration if you need to (depending on amount of fish). Focusing on fewer tanks really does help. Separating males/females is a good idea- especially when you're overwhelmed with other issues in tanks. I keep easy plants in my low tech tanks. I run my tanks for 8 hours on lights however I've got dimmers on some (I don't use ferts) which has helped. A wise man on one of Cory's videos said that Rhizone plants only need 4 hours of light, 6 for stem plants. Maybe cut back for two hours or do a siesta if you have timers that can do it, put the lights on for 4 hours in the morning and 4 hours in the afternoon or evening- and you can even aim for the times when you're home- this should help your plants grow! A lot of people here have had success with this method.

1 week has been the general rule. Some break down faster than others. I've decided to make IAL tea with 1 leaf 1x a week and I fill my bottles part of the way with the concentrated tea and fill it up the rest of the way with plain water. It's working pretty well for me so far.

@Torrey I do believe it CAN and the package even says so (doesn't say that it absolutely does- which is non-committal on the part of the manufacturer- but I'm usually prepared for medication to crash my cycle no matter what the meds are). The H2O2 method to me is double detrimental- you can kill all of your fish AND kill your BB and it seems a fine line that I don't care to tread myself. I would personally never do it. It's a bacteria in this case, so an antibacterial I would use- my fish would absolutely survive treatment. Thankfully I've never had to and hopefully never will.

Nice!! Happy Birthday! 🎁

THE NITRATE EXPERIMENT (aka: FUN WITH PLANTS): The Accidental Oto Tank So I started the experiment late last year. 3 of my tanks stay at 40 ppm Nitrate. If you remember I started with 1 baby spider plant, 1 small Pothos cutting and then later added Lucky Bamboo all from plants I've had for years. At first I saw a slight dip in Nitrates but then they came right back up the next week, and here it is working on about 3 months later- still the Nitrates refuse to budge. However, I haven't lost hope- the plants themselves are doing well all of them are growing and their root systems getting longer and longer! This week's parameters for the tank: Temp: 75.6 (no heater, same as last test) pH: 7.8 (same as last test) Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: 40, the unbudgeable number apparently. KH: 4/71.6 (same as last test) GH: 179 (up a space from last test)

I'm reading a classic I never picked up before thanks to a relative who bought me a special edition that is illustrated by Minalima (lots of cool illustrations, pop ups and small details). The story is not complex but a simple enjoyable read. After I finish that book I'll be starting on this one:

You know my original tank was started with "river pebbles" of some kind from Imagitarium (Petco). I thought maybe I'd made a mistake when I learned more about other substrates but you know, I think its done more good for my tanks and I like the look of it. I think I'd rather go with something smaller next time but similar to what you have- but the bigger stuff is stupid easy to gravel vac.

That is some really good looking gravel. 👍👍

Welcome to the forum @DAWGMAN

Boy when you two redo things you REDOOOOO THINGS 💣💥

I can understand the POV that immuno-compromised people (especially cancer patients) need to protect themselves from exposure. However, like @Mmiller2001 very accurately pointed out with the inside/outside air....there is NO way cancer patients are going HOME to sterile environments. We also should point out hospital environments are often where people pick up the nastiest of the nasties- more likely from the person sitting next to them. Likely NEVER from a fish tank in the doctor's office. When you are as sick as a cancer patient small joys like that are a welcome sight- it is a proven fact that mental state directly effects physical health- fish tanks are beautiful and peaceful and a distraction from a terrible illness. Better than a TV with the news constantly streaming through. I'd bet all my money they'll get complaints from the patients about it having been removed.

You can state your experience, method or research without belittling other users' assistance. This kind of thing isn't tolerated on the forum. You could have left your bit of advice without the sentence above. Please do so in the future. It can get you banned.

We need more other side of the worlders! 👋

Sounds like yet another case of people who know absolutely NOTHING about something making decisions without fact checking and pulling YET MORE joyful things ouf of life. They can all.....well to remain family friendly, jump off a bridge. A really, really high one.

@Torrey the sad part of that for me is while that would have helped- there was enough detrius big enough to also not strain with the tiny pin point baby bladder snails. Yes. I saved them too. What I did worked but it sure as heck took a long time. I got everyone I could but I know I missed some.

@Torrey. I'm with you. I've NEVER had social media of any kind. When it started years ago I said to myself, that sounds a whole lot like highschool. I hated that um, stuff, the first time around (and I wasn't bullied or a bad student- I just thought the whole thing was an exercise in silly dramas and total futility)- not doing THAT again. Boy was I ever right. Not only is it like highschool it also seems to KEEP people in that mentality. Yeah. No. Thank. You. I guess the forum could technically be "social" media but forums were around prior to those sites that will not be named and we didn't consider them that then. However, if this forum was like the other forums I wouldn't be HERE either. HERE we share ideas and opinions and educate each other. I'm just happy doing this without researching anything- because I'm not really trying- I'm just doing my thing, hoping I'm a decent fish keeper- and that my fish will reward me for it.

Hahaha, well @Colu let us remember that I'm the Accidental Breeder. I'll be happy with just a few. I don't have the capacity for hundreds. Remember your guppy space? Yea that's me right now. Small batches I'd be SUPER thrilled with.