Question about heat

[Lolita]

I'm using the heat-method to cure a minor case of ich. It's only shown in one fish, but I'm treating the whole tank. I chose not to use salt because of the amount of plants I have, and I'll be getting scaleless fish in the future and if it ever happens again, I want to have experience curing this naturally.

I'm also an advocate of natural cures in general, and prefer to only use meds when really necessary--in people as well as pets.

For the first day, I turned my heat slowly up to 84. Over night it managed to creep up to 84 F, and stay there. So yesterday morning, I turned it up to 88 F. As of this morning, it's still reading 84 F. I wasn't able to get the temp up above 84 F when I was cycling either, even though I had it turned up to 88 F.

So my question is this: how can I get the tempurature to raise without getting another heater? I had to pay rent and bills this week, so I have no spare money to spend on a secondary heater...

I considered maybe adding warm water slowly over time to try to get the heat up, because I'm fairly certain that once my tank reaches the higher tempurature, my heater will be able to sustain it--but I'm not sure. It's a 100 watt heater for a 29 g tank.

Suggestions?

[Northernguy]

I hope they will be ok at the temp you desire!

Wrap a blanket around the tank and make sure the lid is closed tight.
Thats the only way I can see to get the heat higher.

[Lolita]

I hope so too. I have two airstones in my tank, and they're both up at full blast. I was told I had to raise the temp to 88 or 89 degrees for 1 week in order to kill off the ich. I've been keeping a close eye on the fish, and so far they've remained just as active as before--still eating and playing.

I'll try the blanket, thank you!

[Northernguy]

I hate ich!:11:

[Lolita]

The feeling is mutual! :doh:

[cfgsteak]

Good luck! If that doesn't work, I suggest QuIck Cure. I used it for the recommended time and it did not harm my plants and it kicked the ich!

[Taurus]

Lo, keep the tank wrapped in a blanket as NG suggested and adjust the temperature setting of your heater as high as it will go. Then try to keep the temperature as stable as possible. I would not try adding heated water to the tank because the temperature will eventually drop to what your heater can maintain. It's more important to keep the temperature stable than to bounce it up and down by adding heated water. A stable temp as close to 90 as your heater can get is better than bounding the temperature up and down. Temperature flucuations like that will stress your fish out more than keeping a stable temperature.

When you do have the money, get a second 100 watt heater, or go to a 200 watt heater and remove the old 100 water heater.

I have a 200 watt heater on my 29 and 150 watt heater on my 20 long because the cichlids I keep like their water temps between 78 - 82 degrees.
So I over sized my heaters a bit in order to maintain a stable 79 degrees in both tanks. But if I need to go to 90 degrees, I know I can relatively quickly.

HTH

[Lolita]

Thank you very much for the suggestion! =D I'll definately keep it in mind, it sounds like it's right up my alley as far as meds go--no strong chemicals that could hurt certain fish!

[Taurus]

Good luck! If that doesn't work, I suggest QuIck Cure. I used it for the recommended time and it did not harm my plants and it kicked the ich!

Did the Quick Cure stain your tank blue or green, cfg? I'm just curious. Personally, I've never had to deal with Ich in any of my tanks (knock wood).

[Lolita]

Lo, keep the tank wrapped in a blanket as NG suggested and adjust the temperature setting of your heater as high as it will go. Then try to keep the temperature as stable as possible. I would not try adding heated water to the tank because the temperature will eventually drop to what your heater can maintain. It's more important to keep the temperature stable than to bounce it up and down by adding heated water. A stable temp as close to 90 as your heater can get is better than bounding the temperature up and down. Temperature flucuations like that will stress your fish out more than keeping a stable temperature.

When you do have the money, get a second 100 watt heater, or go to a 200 watt heater and remove the old 100 water heater.

I have a 200 watt heater on my 29 and 150 watt heater on my 20 long because the cichlids I keep like their water temps between 78 - 82 degrees.
So I over sized my heaters a bit in order to maintain a stable 79 degrees in both tanks. But if I need to go to 90 degrees, I know I can relatively quickly.

HTH

Thank you, that does help!

I planned on getting a secondary heater for my tank either way, one on the opposite side of the tank to keep the temp. more even and in case of an emergency... I just haven't had the money to drop for one, even though they really aren't all that expensive.

My birthday is Sunday. Lol maybe I'll get some money that I can use for a second heater then!

[cfgsteak]

Did the Quick Cure stain your tank blue or green, cfg? I'm just curious. Personally, I've never had to deal with Ich in any of my tanks (knock wood).

I did not experience any staining. The bottle warned that I might, but I didn't.

[Taurus]

My birthday is Sunday. Lol maybe I'll get some money that I can use for a second heater then!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :birthday: :wavemulticolor:

[Lolita]

=O really? Why would it stain the tank?

[Lolita]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :birthday: :wavemulticolor:

xD!!! Wow, thank you! Lol! :19:

[Taurus]

I did not experience any staining. The bottle warned that I might, but I didn't.

That's good to know cfg in case I ever have to treat for ichness. Thanks.

[cfgsteak]

That's good to know cfg in case I ever have to treat for ichness. Thanks.

LOL! Punny!

I would suggest taking out any decorations that you would not want to risk staining. I have a white colosium decoration (that I HATE) but it didn't get stained....I imagine the staining has more to do with the materials that might be succeptable to staining...

Lolita, the medicine is really blue, and it turns your water blue. And apparently, it potentially turns other stuff blue to! But it kill the Ich.

[Taurus]

I think it hurts the biofilter, too? Did you have a mini-cycle after treatment, cfg?

[Lolita]

=O ooh no really? I have two filters, I could always take one off and run it in a bucket with ammonia if I had to..

[cfgsteak]

I think it hurts the biofilter, too? Did you have a mini-cycle after treatment, cfg?

I put in carbon my main filter after the treatment to remove the medicine. I have a well established tank (over 5 years old) and I did not have a mini-cycle. I did not notice any change in the effectiveness of my biofiltration. Maybe this would be more likely to happen in a newer tank, I really don't know.

[Taurus]

Lo, in your case you have a very immature biofilter. I think I would stay with the heat treatment first and see if that works before using quick cure. Quick Cure has malachite green and formalin in it which will affect your biofilter.

I'd perfer to use paraguard by Seachem as it does not hurt the biofilter. Paraguard treats a broader spectrum of ailments, too.

Again, I have no experience with either product, but I trust Seachem.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Lolita]

Okay--I planned on using heat anyhow. As I said before, meds will only be used if the heat treatment absolutely does not work.

I'm going to see if I can scrounge up some extra cash and grab a heater on my way home today.

[Taurus]

Yup. But read my post again, please. Thanks.

[Lolita]

Oh hey you snuck that edit right in there!

Oooh, this looks like a great alt. for me. Thank you! I'll check and see if petco/petsmart carry it!

[Scrup]

I used nox-ich, its a malachite green/sodium (salt) mix. Works great for ich, but it WILL stain silicone, airlines, rocks, clay pots, airstones, and anything else porous (even some substrate).

[Taurus]

Petco may not carry Paraguard, Lo. You may have to order it on line. But, in addition to Melafix and Pimafix, Paraguard is one med that I would keep around just in case. Next time I do an on line order (when I have the cashish), I will include some paraguard to have on hand. You're learning by experience Lo, that's a good thing! :ssmile:

[Lolita]

Thanks Larry =D You're always super helpful!

I do have Melafix in my fishie med. cabinet. I plan on buying some pimfix when I have free cash. I also have stress coat, and will order some of the paraguard too!

[Taurus]

Larry? Who's Larry? :wink: