Why New To The Hobby at times seems to be Ich Central...
The answer is sadly simple. NTTH folk too often concentrate on precision with the cycle chemistry, and then---don't know how very, very, very, very critical the next step is, which is to be absolutely certain A) the sandbed is somewhat matured beyond mere cycle (ie, can it handle even one fish safely yet?) and B) that the water will not be (for a fish) like a run-in with sandpaper.
SOLVING A: put a CUC in and even FEED them for a bit. Their job, understand, is not to 'clean up' the algae. It's to clean up fish that might die sometime in the history of the tank. Get them in there, let them do itty-bitty poo that will encourage the sandbed, and continue testing to be SURE that sandbed is handling the bioload.
SOLVING B: understand that fishes' slime coat is their protection against parasites and bacteria---ruining it is like sandpapering your skin and then going out to play in the dirt. It is stripped by some meds (copper, for one) and also by water that is low in alkalinity---below 7.9. SO---how do you help that slime coat? If you are doing any treatment, keep the fish in qt AFTER the med is gone and bring that water to 7.9-9.0 alkalinity for a week or so before you put them into your tank. And be sure your tank water is in that same range---constantly. Forever.
If you do these two things, you will have much better luck. That 7.9-9.0 rule for your qt and for your tank will serve you for all your career in this hobby.
The answer is sadly simple. NTTH folk too often concentrate on precision with the cycle chemistry, and then---don't know how very, very, very, very critical the next step is, which is to be absolutely certain A) the sandbed is somewhat matured beyond mere cycle (ie, can it handle even one fish safely yet?) and B) that the water will not be (for a fish) like a run-in with sandpaper.
SOLVING A: put a CUC in and even FEED them for a bit. Their job, understand, is not to 'clean up' the algae. It's to clean up fish that might die sometime in the history of the tank. Get them in there, let them do itty-bitty poo that will encourage the sandbed, and continue testing to be SURE that sandbed is handling the bioload.
SOLVING B: understand that fishes' slime coat is their protection against parasites and bacteria---ruining it is like sandpapering your skin and then going out to play in the dirt. It is stripped by some meds (copper, for one) and also by water that is low in alkalinity---below 7.9. SO---how do you help that slime coat? If you are doing any treatment, keep the fish in qt AFTER the med is gone and bring that water to 7.9-9.0 alkalinity for a week or so before you put them into your tank. And be sure your tank water is in that same range---constantly. Forever.
If you do these two things, you will have much better luck. That 7.9-9.0 rule for your qt and for your tank will serve you for all your career in this hobby.
