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bamse
06/04/2010, 10:20 AM
Hi,
I setup a QT to treat my fish for a bacterial infection on the tail.
I've dropped one of those zeolite cartridges used for undergravel filters to help with ammonia, since the medication will probably kill nitrification bacteria from QT (the intention was not to avoid WC for the QT :) ).

Would the zeolite also affect the antibiotics in the water? I am using triple sulfa for now, and planning on using erithromicin as well
TIA

crazylegs
06/04/2010, 01:02 PM
The purpose of a QT is not to worry about the nitrifying bacteria. I use an airstone alone for o2 and thats it. The treatment will be more successful if you remove the zeolite. Do water changes according to the instructions on the meds. You really have to do the water changes in order for the whole process to work the way it is intended.

bamse
06/04/2010, 04:19 PM
The purpose of a QT is not to worry about the nitrifying bacteria. I use an airstone alone for o2 and thats it. The treatment will be more successful if you remove the zeolite. Do water changes according to the instructions on the meds. You really have to do the water changes in order for the whole process to work the way it is intended.

True, but the instructions for the antibiotics I am using (triple sulfa) is specifying a 25% water change after THREE days.
The QT is basically a new tank, and if I am not wrong, a new tank might have ammonia peaking around 1ppm in that amount of time.
The need to restrain from daily WC contradicts the requirement to keep the water pristine in QT...
Plus, the fish is there because is sick and his immunity is very low, also since he doesn't eat, there is a tendency to overfeed trying to convince him to accept food.
To me, these things contradicts each other.
I was trying to be inventive so I dropped the zeolite in, but now I am wondering if this is affecting my treatment or not...

Any other opinions? TIA