Water Change Schedule

[shua71]

I normally use salt to treat ich, I know that scaleless fish don't fare well with salt, but I've found it to be much more safe and effective. Also, it's my opinion that almost every tank has the ich bugs in it, but stress caused by water quality is what makes the fish susceptible to it.

+1. If you're getting ick with fish that aren't new you're doing something wrong..

 

[Demo]

Hasnt happened in a while, when it does, its usually because i got a new fish, or had a power outage (but i have a generator now )

 

[Laticauda]

ive noticed that lfs use test strips and are horribly inaccurate. your rtc outgrew that tank pretty much before you put him in it.

Yes, I gave the benefit of the doubt, in assuming his LFS uses liquid dropper kits. If you use test strips, your ammonia could ACTUALLY be 4ppm, and the test strips can/will give results in the "fine" area. NitrAtes, at high enough numbers are quite toxic to fish, some more than others.

Ammonia past a certain amount (dependent on your pH and temperature) is also toxic, can cause burns on the fish and their gills.

ANY nitrItes is toxic and can cause brown blood disease, which is basically blood poisoning, where the fish can not absorb oxygen due to nitrItes out-competing oxygen in the gills.

Also, fish use a certain amount of minerals in the water during their regular metabolic processes every day, and not replenishing those minerals on a regular basis cause the fish undue stress and can ultimately lead to stunting.

 

[Demo]

^ dropper kit was used, unsure what the actual numbers are, but i was told its perfect, they put it up against a color sheet.

 

[dmopar74]

1.5 gph 24/7/365

 

[Sik.10a]

I do water changes on my 300 gal tank with a 7 ft sump once or twice weekly at least a 50% change and always gravel clean and add salt,with a big container and a hose can be done in half hour easy u gotta for the monsters especially cats like rtc & tsn who eat like pigs , I do filter every second or third week but only the pre- filters so I don't lose that good bacteria that helps keep it all in check, seems to work for me