| Author |
Message |
3_second_memory
Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 351
Location: England
|
 Posted: Mon May 10, 2004 6:49 pm Post subject: Too many chemicals |
 |
|
Hiya all,
In all three of my tanks (2 warm water, 1 cold) i use tetra aqua safe, tetra easy balance.
I was advised that Tetra black extract would be good for breeding help.
Would that be an over load of chemicals?
Thanks.
Amy. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
ceveretts
Member
Joined: 26 Apr 2004
Posts: 132
Location: Ontario, Canada.
|
| Posted: Mon May 10, 2004 9:24 pm Post subject: Too many chemicals |
|
|
 Wow, 3_second_memory! You are heavy into the breeding!!! I have only sucessfully bred mollies and guppies myself, just for fun. I have used the aqua safe before, and that you need for sure to dechlorinate the water and stuff, but the only other thing I use on a regular basis is aquarium salt (it's special non iodized!). My phillosophy on water additives is less is usually more. I do not know exactly what this black tetra extract is though. I'm sure some one will be able to help you with that one.  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
t_chelle16
Moderator
Joined: 22 Mar 2004
Posts: 3437
|
| Posted: Mon May 10, 2004 11:18 pm Post subject: Re: Too many chemicals |
|
|
| ceveretts wrote: |
| My phillosophy on water additives is less is usually more. |
Same here. Unless I'm medicating my fish the only thing I add is a dechlorinator (I wish I didn't even have to add that). As far as the Easy Balance goes, unless your pH is way off <6 or >8, it's usually best not to mess with it because changes can cause more stress than slightly off but stable pH.
I've never used the blackwater extract but it sounds like it's mostly tannis. If that's the case you could probably get a really similar affect by just adding a piece of driftwood & not boiling it first. That would also be a natural and safer way (instead of using chemicals) to lower your pH.
-Chelle |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kc5gvn
Moderator
Joined: 15 Mar 2004
Posts: 1147
|
| Posted: Tue May 11, 2004 5:09 am Post subject: |
|
|
Hi 3_second_memory, They are correct. The more chemicals you put into the tank the harder it will be to keep it balanced. Remember that all of the elements in the tank are measured in parts per million. It doesn't take very long to get into the cycle of having to add another chemical to compensate for the side-effect of the last chemical you put in the tank, and then having to add another chemical to compensate for the side-effect of that chemical, and so on and so on. You end up spending all your time adjusting chemicals and scooping out dead fish. Where I used to work we had a term that we used which was KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid). What it meant was don't make things more complicated than they need to be. Follow basic simple procedures and you will have much more success with the hobby of raising and breeding fish.
P.S. The only time I would use blackwater tonic is with Discus. With Discus as I understand it, it is virtually a must. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
3_second_memory
Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 351
Location: England
|
| Posted: Wed May 12, 2004 9:28 am Post subject: |
|
|
I could be the breeding fanatic!
i just thought, if its possible, why not give it ago, but as you have all mentioned, adding more chemicals does makes life harder. i have bog wood in the tank.
Iv always wanted to keep discus. the ph has to be low doesnt it, and very soft water?
I use the easy balance coz of the algae that grows in my cold water tank.
it just seemed a good idea. it reduces frequent water changes. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
t_chelle16
Moderator
Joined: 22 Mar 2004
Posts: 3437
|
| Posted: Wed May 12, 2004 4:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| 3_second_memory wrote: |
| it just seemed a good idea. it reduces frequent water changes. |
Do you monitor your nitrAtes? Because they are the reason for doing water changes. And as far as I know, the only ways to remove nitrAtes are by having TONS of plants, anaerobic bacteria (rarely happens in aquariums), and water changes.
And yes, discus need incredibly soft water with a low pH. Plus they're really sensitive to changes in water parameters.
-Chelle |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
3_second_memory
Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 351
Location: England
|
| Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 12:23 pm Post subject: |
|
|
i monitor nitrite rather than nitrate coz nitrite is the after mast of nitrite and amonia.
I have it well planted the tank, so that the fry get a chance to survive.
Its a very shallow tank.
2 foot long, half a foot high, half a foot back. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
t_chelle16
Moderator
Joined: 22 Mar 2004
Posts: 3437
|
| Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 5:14 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| 3_second_memory wrote: |
i monitor nitrite rather than nitrate coz nitrite is the after mast of nitrite and amonia.
I have it well planted the tank, so that the fry get a chance to survive.
Its a very shallow tank.
2 foot long, half a foot high, half a foot back. |
No, nitrAte is the final product. A cycled tank should never have ammonia or nitrIte because there's bacteria that eats both of them. Plants will eat some nitrAtes, but (in most cases) not all of it so some nitrAte will still build up until you do a water change.
fish --> ammonia --> nitrIte --> nitrAte
-Chelle |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
3_second_memory
Member
Joined: 29 Apr 2004
Posts: 351
Location: England
|
| Posted: Thu May 13, 2004 6:26 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| ok, thank you. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
- Resources for
Pet Owners World-Wide
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
