Maracyn 2 Treatment plan

[Cjbear087]

So I am going to be treating for fin rot with Maracyn 2 soon and I have a few questions.

I am aware that Maracyn 2 kills your beneficial bacteria and I would like to preserve this so how could I take my sponge out and keep it cycled? It isn't a traditional sponge filter, it's a Fluval Flex sponge (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fluval-Foam-Filter-Block-Aquarium/dp/B0731YSB5T/ref=asc_df_B0731YSB5T/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697349263178&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2039539270894000689&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9045790&hvtargid=pla-349800461483&psc=1&mcid=484f89eab1ee32f88599ecae287ef073&gad_source=1) so I would need to find a way to keep flow through it so the BB survives. Could I just take the sponge out, put it in a (dechlorinated) bucket of water and put an airstone underneath it so bubbles go through and keep flow? Or would this not work? Also would I have to keep dosing ammonia to keep the bacteria alive? Also while the treatment is undergoing in my main tank I also have a spare cycled sponge filter (actual sponge filter not Flex one) if I needed to use that for whatever reason in the main tank. Could someone come up with a plan for me? 

Thanks in advance.

[Whitecloud09]

You don’t need ammonia for the BB to survive, if in conditioned water, the BB is established, and is hard to kill when established. So you should be fine there. I would put the spare filter in the tank, if you won’t use it for anything else. But if the filter is well established, the maracyn might not kill the bacteria, You can add seachem stability while treating with maracyn to  help you filter. That sentence is what @Colu mentioned in a old topic. 

 

Do you might actually be good. Idk, let’s see other peoples opinions @Cjbear087.

Edited July 2 by Whitecloud09

[Cjbear087]

On 7/2/2024 at 6:48 PM, Whitecloud09 said:

You don’t need ammonia for the BB to survive, if in conditioned water, the BB is established, and is hard to kill when established. So you should be fine there. I would put the spare filter in the tank, if you won’t use it for anything else. But if the filter is well established, the maracyn might not kill the bacteria, You can add seachem stability while treating with maracyn to  help you filter. That sentence is what @Colu mentioned in a old topic. 

 

Do you might actually be good. Idk, let’s see other peoples opinions @Cjbear087.

Appreciate it, I don’t really wanna risk keeping the main sponge in there so I’ll probably just do the spare one but yeah I’ll wait for more opinions.

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/2/2024 at 3:46 PM, Cjbear087 said:

Appreciate it, I don’t really wanna risk keeping the main sponge in there so I’ll probably just do the spare one but yeah I’ll wait for more opinions.

Yes best suggestion, spare sponge filter, in tank, and main one, in a bucket with a airstone. Then do your treatment and switch around the 2.

[Cjbear087]

On 7/2/2024 at 8:57 PM, Whitecloud09 said:

Yes best suggestion, spare sponge filter, in tank, and main one, in a bucket with a airstone. Then do your treatment and switch around the 2.

And will the flow from just an airstone underneath the sponge block be enough to keep the bb alive? Also I keep the spare sponge filter in my main tank along with my main filter so when I’m done with the treatment should I just put the sponge in the boiling water to clean and then back into my main tank?

[doktor zhivago]

I just finished a maracyn 2 treatment.

It does not completely wipe out your BB. They were certainly curtailed a bit and I had to dose fritz complete once or twice but they bounced back a few days after the first dose.  The first dose according to the package instructions is a double dose and that seemed to cause the problem. The single doses after that did not cause any decline and after two days from the first double dose my cycle was back to normal.

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/2/2024 at 5:06 PM, Cjbear087 said:

And will the flow from just an airstone underneath the sponge block be enough to keep the bb alive? Also I keep the spare sponge filter in my main tank along with my main filter so when I’m done with the treatment should I just put the sponge in the boiling water to clean and then back into my main tank?

I would put the airstone there yes, should be fine. The bb will be fine. Yes you could boil after or give it a good rinse. 

[Cjbear087]

On 7/3/2024 at 12:54 PM, Whitecloud09 said:

I would put the airstone there yes, should be fine. The bb will be fine. Yes you could boil after or give it a good rinse. 

And while the treatment is undergoing should I be testing for ammonia daily? What happens if there is an ammonia spike?

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/3/2024 at 1:13 PM, Cjbear087 said:

And while the treatment is undergoing should I be testing for ammonia daily? What happens if there is an ammonia spike?

With a ammonia spike, if you have a QT tank that would be good, transfer the, there (the fish) and do treatment and work on the ammonia spike, with daily water changes, if you don’t have a QT tank then stop feeding, and do a water change every day if possible, and do one if the medicine calls for it. (The maracyn). Don’t feed for a few days if you’re worried over a ammonia spike, but if you don’t overfeed, and do weekly changes, there should be no reason that you would have one.

@Cjbear087. 

[Cjbear087]

On 7/3/2024 at 6:20 PM, Whitecloud09 said:

With a ammonia spike, if you have a QT tank that would be good, transfer the, there (the fish) and do treatment and work on the ammonia spike, with daily water changes, if you don’t have a QT tank then stop feeding, and do a water change every day if possible, and do one if the medicine calls for it. (The maracyn). Don’t feed for a few days if you’re worried over a ammonia spike, but if you don’t overfeed, and do weekly changes, there should be no reason that you would have one.

@Cjbear087. 

Surely the medication wouldn’t want you to do wcs as it dilutes it? And considering Fritz claim it can break your cycle wouldn’t it be something they account for? Would instead it be worth buying something like Seachem AmGuard or API Ammolock?

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/3/2024 at 1:25 PM, Cjbear087 said:

Surely the medication wouldn’t want you to do wcs as it dilutes it? And considering Fritz claim it can break your cycle wouldn’t it be something they account for? Would instead it be worth buying something like Seachem AmGuard or API Ammolock?

Sorry getting it confused with another med called ich x. Seachem amGuard would be good. Idk anything about API ammolock tho. So no, no wcs, just lower feeding, or no feeding, up to you. And seachem amGuard @Cjbear087.

[Cjbear087]

On 7/3/2024 at 6:28 PM, Whitecloud09 said:

Sorry getting it confused with another med called ich x. Seachem amGuard would be good. Idk anything about API ammolock tho. So no, no wcs, just lower feeding, or no feeding, up to you. And seachem amGuard @Cjbear087.

Brilliant, I really appreciate it. So basically plan is take out Fluval sponge block and put in bucket with air stone underneath, keep the spare cycled sponge filter in the tank, dose Maracyn 2 and do treatment plan while testing everyday for ammonia. If an ammonia spike occurs, dose AmGuard to keep ammonia down. Once treatment is finished, take out spare sponge filter and put in boiling water to sterilise, then do water change (as per Maracyns instructions) and finally put sponge block and sterilised sponge filter back into the tank. Sound good?

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/3/2024 at 1:34 PM, Cjbear087 said:

Brilliant, I really appreciate it. So basically plan is take out Fluval sponge block and put in bucket with air stone underneath, keep the spare cycled sponge filter in the tank, dose Maracyn 2 and do treatment plan while testing everyday for ammonia. If an ammonia spike occurs, dose AmGuard to keep ammonia down. Once treatment is finished, take out spare sponge filter and put in boiling water to sterilise, then do water change (as per Maracyns instructions) and finally put sponge block and sterilised sponge filter back into the tank. Sound good?

Sounds great. 👍

[Cjbear087]

On 7/3/2024 at 6:36 PM, Whitecloud09 said:

Sounds great. 👍

Amazing, I really appreciate it 🙂

[Cjbear087]

My new and improved plan - this is what I’m gonna do - I think this all looks good right? @Whitecloud09

Edited July 3 by Cjbear087

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/3/2024 at 3:46 PM, Cjbear087 said:

My new and improved plan - this is what I’m gonna do - I think this all looks good right? @Whitecloud09

I think it’s great, but you prob would be fine without dosing ammonia every single day, maybe every other? And if you did that, your bb should still Live. @Cjbear087. Great plan though 

[Cjbear087]

On 7/3/2024 at 8:54 PM, Whitecloud09 said:

I think it’s great, but you prob would be fine without dosing ammonia every single day, maybe every other? And if you did that, your bb should still Live. @Cjbear087. Great plan though 

Good point, every other day sounds good. Thanks bro 

[Whitecloud09]

On 7/3/2024 at 4:03 PM, Cjbear087 said:

Good point, every other day sounds good. Thanks bro 

Np, hope everything goes well. Good luck!