What's exactly is the ICK? I need help with salting my tank Please...

[Curtis Lewis]

Hello all, I'm a newbie however I've been reading a lot the post in this forum for weeks... Thank you all. So my system an IBC 200 gal FT approx. 25 gal GB... the system is just about to complete the nitrogen cycle I believe... Ammonia spike is finally coming down, I'm currently experiencing a nitrite spike and I lost one goldfish today... My system is a flood and drain system.. I've read about salting systems.. But before I do I have a few questions.

#1 since the cycle seem to be almost done, should I be concerned with salting???
#2 if I am to salt at this point, how much salt is required for me system...
#3 what is the formula I should be following for this remedy...?


Any and ALL HELP is appreciated

Thank you in advance

[George]

Search salt on this site and you'll find the ratio - 1 part per thousand, I think.  Definitely do it.

You probably need much more filtering than 25 gal so stock lightly.  1 to 1 ratio gallons of tank water to gallons of media is generally recommended.  

[Curtis Lewis]

Hey George, I thank you for your reply. What type of salt should I be looking for as I have been reading that normal table salt is not recommended? Next question when you mentioned 1 to 1 ratio gallons of tank water to gallons of media... so when I cut the IBC that's what I had to work with... Do I have too much water in the FT? And you also mentioned stock lightly.. so right now I have 18 gold in there now, should I take some of the fish out?

[Pieter Swanevelder]

I' mainly use  MgSO4 (Engelse sout/Epsom Salt)

The salt is mainly to be a buffer for pH fluctuations. 

If you need to treat for ICK

- there is varied opinion treating ICK using NaCl by isolation and heated water to speed up the parasite life cycle

- the Cl is detrimental to your bacteria and certain plants.

Bright Agrotech has a few informative video's on uses of nutrients/salt on YT which is probaly more important for a starting up a system

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgtue6tbbhc

- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfeZaofFK30

[George]

The salt is to mitigate the nitrite poisoning which is killing your fish - cheap, non iodized table salt is OK, kosher salt etc.   Salting doesn't affect PH whatsoever, to my knowledge.  Whether or not you have enough filtering will be determined by your ammonia and nitrite levels, once you are fully cycled.  You may be OK, depending on stocking and how much you feed.  This is something you'll need to keep an eye on.  If you cut the top off an IBC, you may have more than 25 gallons of media, depending on how you cut it.  You may not have 18 goldfish by the time you are cycled.  Be sure you search for the information on how much to salt.
Epsom Salt is a source of magnesium and I use it once a week or so.  It is a salt and you'll find information on it when you do your search.
Curtis Lewis said:

Hey George, I thank you for your reply. What type of salt should I be looking for as I have been reading that normal table salt is not recommended? Next question when you mentioned 1 to 1 ratio gallons of tank water to gallons of media... so when I cut the IBC that's what I had to work with... Do I have too much water in the FT? And you also mentioned stock lightly.. so right now I have 18 gold in there now, should I take some of the fish out?

[Curtis Lewis]

Wow.. I used pure NaCl... And I dose it @ 1-3ppt... Did I just kill all of my bacteria??? I also put a tarp around the fish tank this morning to keep the direct sunlight out... The Goldies are eating the algae from the sides of the FT... last night ammonia tested @ 0ppm and Nitrites are still @ 2-5ppm... How long before I will see the nitrites come down after salting...?

Hers a current pic(today)so you can how the IBC was cut.

[George]

Salt doesn't affect nitrite - it affects the fish, possibly protecting them from the nitrite.  It can't undo damage already done.

Curtis Lewis said:

. How long before I will see the nitrites come down after salting...?

[Curtis Lewis]

So as it appears, my ammonia has now gone back up to 4.0 after being down to .25 for two days in a row. My nitrites have also spike back up to between two and five ppms. My nitrates are somewhere between 40 and 80 ppm and all of a sudden my lettuce looks terrible. Can I assume that the chloride in the salt killed my good bacteria and that's the reason for the sudden swing in levels? If that's the case what is my next move, should I do a water change?

[George]

I haven't heard of NaCi being a problem, provided you didn't use too much.  Water change wouldn't hurt.

Curtis Lewis said:

Can I assume that the chloride in the salt killed my good bacteria and that's the reason for the sudden swing in levels? If that's the case what is my next move, should I do a water change?

[Curtis Lewis]

OK George,so with 175 gallon tank when the pump is running and 200 gallons when the grow bed is fully drained. how should I go about completing my very 1st water change?

[George]

One third water change is sort of standard.  If using chlorinated water, less at a time, one tenth or so.

[Curtis Lewis]

So as it turns out George I didn't have to do a water change, after a couple days of rain the levels are starting to balance out... My PH is dropping... its currently between 6.4-6.6 which I've heard that's optimal range...

Thanks George for all your direction