Question about cycling, bifluran and biowheel
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
Category: AquaticLife
