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Luxa

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  1. Prime is a reducing agent. Formaldehyde, an ingredient in Ich-X can also behave as a reducing agent. In the aquarium, these chemicals can "donate" electrons to free oxygen gas in the aquarium water, producing water, hydrogen peroxide, and / or hydroxide ions. In any case, these chemicals lower the overall quantity of available oxygen within the aquarium. Prime and Ich-X likely don't interact directly, but using both simultaneously can cause a larger decrease in dissolved oxygen levels. The caveat here, though, is that when Prime is dosed appropriately, very little should remain in the system in the long-run. It'd also be ideal to use Prime and Ich-X at different times; water change in the morning, medication at night, for example. So, basically: yes, technically Prime and Ich-X can have minor negative impacts on the aquarium. In reality, however, proper use of these chemicals shouldn't lead to major problems; water changes are more important than a small reduction in oxygen pressure. It's not a bad idea to run an airstone during treatment, though, especially as warmer water (which is desirable for ich treatment) retains less oxygen.
  2. What a cool guide! It's also important to note that antibiotics should be used responsibly! None of the antibiotics available for aquarium use are "cutting-edge," but everyone still has to do their part to combat antibiotic resistant bacteria. The two biggest steps to take are: 1) concentration & 2) duration. Enough antibiotics should be used to kill the majority of bacteria in solution! That usually means following the manufacturer's dosing directions. It's also important to maintain that concentration for a sufficient duration. Remember that antibiotics dissolve in tank water. This means a bacterium needs to encounter the antibiotic molecule in the water to die, which doesn't happen instantly. Again, this usually means dosing for as long as the manufacturer instructs. If you want to be really responsible, any leftover antibiotic solution, powdered antibiotic already dissolved in tank water, should be disposed into sand or cat litter then discarded as solid waste. There are hundreds of aquarium medications on the market, and many of them contain antibiotics. You're not going to end the world by under-dosing sulfathiazole, but everyone can do their part to use these powerful compounds responsibly. Happy fishkeeping!
  3. Looks to me like a garden-variety aquatic earthworm. Certainly not predatory.
  4. Hello, all! I have experience with freshwater tropical fish and very limited marine expertise. Right now, I'm in the process of setting up a new 65-gallon fancy goldfish tank! I'm super excited to pick up a trio of goldies come the holiday season. I am a microbiologist located near Boston, MA. Happy to be here; I've already had a few of my own questions answered, and perhaps I can answer some others'! GABE
  5. Thanks, Cory! It's really cool to hear from you personally; big fan. My sponge filters are running exactly as suggested by your video. I had some air leaking from the sides, but by shortening the internal tubing length, I fixed that problem easy peasy! Thanks again!
  6. Hi, folks! I'm a college student and about a month ago, my parents' home (where my fish live) lost power during a major storm. I was at college and power remained out for almost a week. Since I wasn't home to protect the fish, they all died after suffering in 50 degree water for six days. Now, I'm ready to rebuild the tank, and I want to give fancy Goldfish a go. I currently have a 65-gallon set up. There are three crypts, two vals, and a tuft of Pothos up top on a tiled bottom. I'm used to having many more plants, but I wanted to thin things out for this setup. Here's my question, finally: I have two LARGE Aquarium Co-Op sponge filters. Each is running on individual air pumps at maximum capacity (many rapid but small bubbles). These are hefty sponge filters and they're drawing a lot of water through them. My plan now is to get three Oranda or Ranchu Goldfish once these new filters are well cycled. Is this enough filtration for my planned stocking. I have had BAD experiences with canister filters and mixed results from HOBs in the past, and sponges are just... so easy. Thanks in advance! EDIT: I have a homemade Python-like water change system, too, so I can very easily change 50%+ of the water weekly.
  7. Hi there; very simple question. On my 65-gallon goldfish tank, I just got two new Large Aquarium Co-Op sponge filters and a Ziss airstone for each. What amount of airflow is optimal? Obviously I want to pull water through the sponge, but I also don't want to create excessively large bubbles with decreased lift. I am current running a Tetra Whisper 40 on EACH sponge filter. That's ~1.5 L/min. of air each, and the surface of the water is gently "boiling". Have people had success with that sort of flow rate? I'm also losing some bubbles out the top of the sponge, but I think I can fix that with some minor wiggling. Thanks in advance!
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