Does every tank go through Ich?

[maples5]

I have a question that is pressing about my two pregnant platys???

[Knight~Ryder]

Originally Posted by maples5

I have a question that is pressing about my two pregnant platys???

Then create a new topic in the right section! You will get a better answer to your question then if you randomly type a question in a topic that has nothing to do with pregnant platys.

[oliesminis]

well said, you should never add threads which are totaly unrelated to someone elses thread. start new thread in the live bearers section and you will get an answer

[IAN]

I have never had ick in 5 of my tanks.

100, 50, 10, 10, and 5, gallons.

They have been up for over a year each.

Ick is a stress related disease. Good water quality, healthy fish, and great food keep ick away.

[Good Wolf]

Originally Posted by JustOneMore20

I agree ^^. To clean a tank, you just do water changes weekly, gravel vac, and either rinse sponge filter media monthly in old tank water or replace part of the filter media (carbon, or sponges that need to be replaced) once a month. Never wash out the filter, decorations (unless you are getting rid of algae), or replace all of the filter media at the same time.

I've been wondering about this. If the tank water doesn't have bacteria why should you rince the filter media in old tank water?

Also, how long should you QT a new fish? I can set up my 5g to do this if need be.

[Ricker]

I have had Ich one time sense I started the hobby again. What I did instead of buying that ich meds. I heard aquarium salt works great. I added some to my 10gallon and 2 days it was gone also raised temp in tank a tad to. Food that has Garlic in it to if some one else hasnt said that. I buy this flake food at LFS cause I cna get a refill. O.S.I marine Aquarium Flake Food. My fish love itr.

[Knight~Ryder]

About a month ago I bought 6 cherry barbs from a petstore. They are in GREAT condition. I went back and I saw 2 left in the tank, one dead and the other 2 had ick. I hope mine will still be in good condition for awhile.

[TheOldSalt]

You rinse your filter media in tank water because the idea is to cleanse the gunk off of it, not wipe out the bacteria on it. If you used tapwater, you'd wipe out your good-guy filter bacteria.

[Good Wolf]

See, I still don't get it. According to Kristin the water itself has no bacteria. Tap water doesn't either so what is the difference. I'm not trying to hijack the thread. I'm sure Ryder would like to know as well.

[Ricker]

Cherry barbs my favorite fish. Did yours school

[Obsidian]

When you rinse it in the tap water you put chlorinated water on it. That is chlorine (like bleach is) and that is what kills the bacteria. It is in small amounts, but it is enough to kill bacteria (which is the point of chlorinating it in the first place). I suppose you could make a bucket of dechlorinated water to rinse it in, but I really don't see why anyone would bother. All your doing is getting the large gunk off of it and you don't need pristine water to do that.

[TheOldSalt]

Oh, I think I get it. You think that rinsing with tank water is supposed to somehow PUT bacteria onto the filter media, and you don't see how that can happen since there's not much bacteria floating free in the water?
Well, that's not the point. The point is to not remove the bacteria already on the media.

Now, NEW media that is about to be used for the first time can certainly be pre-rinsed in the sink, since it has no bacteria on it anyway.

[Good Wolf]

Originally Posted by Obsidian

When you rinse it in the tap water you put chlorinated water on it. That is chlorine (like bleach is) and that is what kills the bacteria. It is in small amounts, but it is enough to kill bacteria (which is the point of chlorinating it in the first place). I suppose you could make a bucket of dechlorinated water to rinse it in, but I really don't see why anyone would bother. All your doing is getting the large gunk off of it and you don't need pristine water to do that.

That makes sense. Sorry to beat a dead horse. I should have been able to figure that out myself. Thanks for elaborating.

I have yet to get ich, but the tanks have only been going for a few months.

I didn't even think about my LFS water being shared and bought my three lined cories from them even though the panda cory tank had ich. So far they are doing fine even with my nitrite being jacked up right now. *knock on wood*