Salt bath

[ants]

Hi guys, I wantto treat my planted discus tank with salt.
I see on here that I should do at a rate of 1-2 teaspoons per 20L.
I have 3 rams that are showing signs of a fungus type on the tips of there fins. It is almost like a whitespot / fungus thing, It actually dosent look like either but must me something.
So my questions - will the salt increase hardness?
Will the salt affect my plants? (amazon swords, spats, anubus, bannans lillys)
I dont have a quaranteen tank, and catching the little buggers in a hevelly planted tank will be a nightmare.

[Hollowman]

What are your water parameters? Ammonia, NitrIte, NitrAte, ph ??
Water change and maintenance regime ? temp?

[ants]

I have been doing 100L WC every 3 days. (tank is 340L)
water is good, Temp probably could come up a little so I have adjusted that.

[Hollowman]

I need real test results Ants, 'water good tells me/us nothing to help you. get some liquid test kits, not all in one strips and post the results.

H

[ants]

I will do that tomorrow as it is dark here now, and like doing tests in daylight.
But is was more information re-
So my questions - will the salt increase hardness?
Will the salt affect my plants? (amazon swords, spats, anubus, bannans lillys)

I have the rock salt ready to go, just wanted to check the above first

[Hollowman]

Take the fish out and you can do a salt dip in a bucket, I think the salt will affect the plants, but I am not a plant expert. So can you tell us the other answers to the non test questions please

[ants]

I will do the tests when I get home from work.
I have been doing 100L water changes every 3 days, (340L tank)
I use the gravel vacume every time.
Melbourne water from what I am told out of the tap is very soft and a Ph of 7.
Tank has been running (with fish) for at least 4 months mybe longer.
I took my Sth Africans out, and played with the water for a week (still with neons, rams and loaches) till I had the water right. "It just needed some KH raelly)
Temp was at 76 I have brought the temp up to 78, I might even wind it up a little further tonight.

If I remove the infected Rams, I will still need to treat the whole tank?
That is why I was thinking salt, that way I can keep the filter running, but I am concerned about the plants.

I am concerned that this will spread if I cant get it under control, the Discus while a little skitish at times are feeding well and look OK to me, but with limited space and no quaranteen tank I need another alternative.

[ILLUSN]

Salt will not afect your hardness but will bring up your tds, at 1-2tsp/20L your plants will not take it well, if you need to treat the rams then do so, rams are a very good indicater fish when they get sick theres something wrong, i'd treat all your fish if you can.

if your sure its fungus try waterlife protozin its very effective. you could do the whole tank in one go and be done with it.

[ants]

I have a multi cure at home, I think I will try that first.
I will by pass the charcoal from the filter first.
that way I am treating the tank not just the fish.

I think I need to do half doses? As I have neon's and lochs is this correct?

Also thank you for your time on this ILLUSN and Hollowman

[ILLUSN]

With neons and loaches you'll have to do a 1/2 dose, multi cure is a little nasty in that it can hang around in your sponges for some time after treatment, i'd discard your sponges once the treatment is over.

[ants]

Will it affect the filter media at all?
As in the culture in the filter?

[ILLUSN]

it shouldn'd, it might knock around the bacteria a bit.

[ants]

Water:
No3 = 10
No2 = 0
GH = 3
KH = 6
PH = 6.4

[ILLUSN]

water tests look fine.

[BigDaddyAdo]

What ratio of salt/water and for how long do you dip Hollowman?

[BigDaddyAdo]

What ratio of salt/water and for how long do you dip Hollowman?

[ILLUSN]

dont be afraid to use the serch option

http://www.discusforums.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19061&highlight=salt+bath+dip

[Hollowman]

Sorry I never got back to you Ado, ILLUSN has found the link for you.

thanks mate :)

[BigDaddyAdo]

No probs. ;)