Melafix majorly clouds up my water--normal??

[demi7996]

First time I've used melafix, and it clouded up my water big time, I didn't add too much--1 tsp for every ten gallons, put in 9 tsps (90 gallon tank). Also, I checked my levels after that, and my ammonia is a bit high, is that normal as well or should I do something about it?? (new hobbyist, thanks!)

 

[hagfish]

I think my water clouded up some when I used it. What are you attempting to treat with it?
Ammonia being high is definitely not normal in any situation other than a cycle. It NEEDS to be at zero for anything to have a good shot at staying alive. Same for nitrite. Nitrate can be a little higher, but the lower the better.
How long has the tank been set up? And what livestock do you have?

 

[demi7996]

I was just adding it to the water because we bought a new yellow tang, and I heard anytime that you add a new fish, it's a good idea to add some melafix. I've just moved to a new location, and brought tank in tow--sold my old fish, but kept the bio wheel. then I got a new batch of fish when I came to my new location. I have: 1 porc puffer, niger trigger, yellow tang, maroon clownfish, snowflake eel, and a purple pseudochromis. The ammonia level wasn't too high, it just wasn't a 0. It was one or two shades past the yellow. (I think like a 0.25) Should I just not feed them for awhile to reduce it, or start water changes?? My PH is 8.2..Thanks for the info!!

 

[hagfish]

How big is the tank? It sounds like it hasn't been running long, how long?
Any ammonia level over zero is toxic and lethal to the fish and anything else that is alive in your tank. So .25 is definitely too high.
As for the melafix, that is just untrue and unneccesary. I wouldn't add it any more if I were you unless you are specifically trying to treat some disease. Look at it this way, melafix is a medicine. Do you take cough medicine every day to prevent a cough? You are trying to take a small piece of the ocean and store it in a clear box. That alone is enough stress. No point in giving the fish medication for things they probably don't even have.
If you are really concerned that your fish might have diseases that need treated when you purchase them, I suggest you purchase a quarantine tank. It's basically a tank to observe your fish in for a few weeks to make sure it is healthy before adding to main tank. Then you can treat the disease separate from your existing livestock and you prevent disease from spreading to existing livestock.

 

[demi7996]

Thanks for the info! Makes sense about the melafix. I noticed that my niger has a teeny white spot by his gil, I've heard that consistantly high ammonia levels may cause some skin problems. I rechecked my ammonia today after I did a 10% water change, and they a tad lower. I have a 92 gallon fish only tank by the way. The water is crystal clear now, and the fish seem to be really active. Should I just not feed them until the ammonia is 0? I've also noticed that this new yellow tang poops a whole lot. I didn't know if that would raise the levels for a bit. I saw just clumps of poo on the floor since I got him, but today I didn't see any poo so either the other fish ate it, or the filter got it.
Thanks so much for your help!!

 

[hagfish]

How long has your tank been set up? Do you understand how the nitrogen cycle (relating to ammonia) works? Give me any info you can about your tank including lbs of live rock, substrate type (crushed coral or live sand or bare bottom), clean up crew, mechanical filtration, circulation, everything you can think of. It's difficult to help much without knowing that. Oh, and how much do you feed? And how often? And what?

 

[demi7996]

Ok..here it goes. My tank has been set up for about a month now in my new location. I just moved, but kept my old bio wheel (it was still moist from the 1 week move). I sold my old fish and got a new batch. I feed my fish some frozen mussel, formula two veggies, and the occasional frozen shrimp. I have no live rock, and live sand bottom. I don't really know anything about the nitrogen cycle.

I feed about every other day, sometimes a tiny bit every day. Basically I took the care of the tank over from my fiance, so I know a little bit about how everything works, but not too much. Any info you could give me would help a great deal, my fiance works alot so he can't tell me too much!
Let me know if you need to know anything else, I will gladly tell ya!
Thanks again!

 

[hagfish]

Most importantly, it is crucial that you understand the nitrogen cycle. In a nutshell, it goes like this.
Decaying matter (poop, dead fish, food, etc) causes ammonia which is basically poison
Beneficial bacteria form to consume the ammonia and they produce nitrite which is also lethal
More beneficial bacteria form to consume the nitrite and that converts it to nitrate which is still dangerous, but is OK up to about 20 ppm for fish. Inverts need less though.
That is what is being referred to when they talk about a "cycle". The cycle takes about a month to complete in a new tank. I'm not sure if yours is brand new or if it was a transfer, but if it's brand new it's probably not done cycling since you do have some ammonia.
Also, I highly recommend buying some live rock. Fish only tanks don't need as much as reefs, but a good standard is to get about 1 lb per gallon of tank water. So about 90 lbs for your tank. The live rock provides some extra beneficial bacteria and also allows more surface area for the bacteria to propogate to.
You may want to search the boards to learn more about the cycle. Also, you may want to purchase the book "Conscientious Marine Aquarist" to have a handy resource to look at to get started with the basics. The book is for sale on this site in the "dry goods" section.