starting all over

[nicole5085]

My 75 gallon tank had 6 discuss since July 2014. Last december they showed signs of Hex. Little by little, one by one they all became thinner and were barely eating. I read your forum and started to treat with metro. Learned that dosage was not enough, they seem to get little better but then got worse. Dealt with great amounts of water change, metro doses and eventually used flubendazole. I also treated with Prazi.One by one i lost them all.
Now i don't know what to do to clean the tank. Should i bleach and start from scratch?
There is a pleco left in the tank.
I have another tank with 2 beautifull male and female blue diamonds. I have them also since july 2014.
They are doing great and growing, so i can't be too bad at nurturing discuss ?
I would like to start over with my tank but i wont do anything else without additional advice.
Thanks in advance!

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Nicole, sorry to hear about the lost of your discus. I think breaking the tank down and sterilizing is best. Not sure what to tell you about the pleco. Perhaps best to cull it or place it in it's own tank.
Pat

[rickztahone]

Hi Nicole, sorry to hear about the lost of your discus. I think breaking the tank down and sterilizing is best. Not sure what to tell you about the pleco. Perhaps best to cull it or place it in it's own tank.
Pat

I would definitely place it in another tank if you have it as Pat suggests. If not, consider giving it to your LFS. They can care for it and sell it to another hobbist.

Additionally, bleaching a tank is definitely your best option here. Clean tank, and clean stock coming in should ensure that you have the best chance of success. Purchase from a reputable sponsor here and you will be on your way to healthy discus.

[nicole5085]

Thanks guys, i will put the pleco in another tank where i have 3 silver dollard fish.
After bleaching every thing how would you suggest i start the bio. I also have a few plants in the tank and i don't know if they could transfer any bugs i hate to throw them away, they are goergous and i don't have enough space in the other tank.

[nicole5085]

I do have to tell you that my blue diamonds came from a different LFS.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks guys, i will put the pleco in another tank where i have 3 silver dollard fish.
After bleaching every thing how would you suggest i start the bio. I also have a few plants in the tank and i don't know if they could transfer any bugs i hate to throw them away, they are goergous and i don't have enough space in the other tank.

Nicole, you might consider a fishless cycle to restart your tank. Also would suggest cleaning your plants but I cannot advise you on doing that. Have you considered maybe getting your new discus from one of our sponsors here?
Pat

[nicole5085]

I definitely buy my next discus from one of the sponsors for sure!
I should i start a cycle without fish?
As for the plants i will research more about them if nobody on DF can help.
Thank you so much for the help, i really appreciate what you guys do on this forum:angel:

[nicole5085]

Sorry i meant SD not DF!!!
LOL!!!

[rickztahone]

Thanks guys, i will put the pleco in another tank where i have 3 silver dollard fish.
After bleaching every thing how would you suggest i start the bio. I also have a few plants in the tank and i don't know if they could transfer any bugs i hate to throw them away, they are goergous and i don't have enough space in the other tank.


I do have to tell you that my blue diamonds came from a different LFS.

You will have to decide the extend of your new clean tank. If you sterilize a tank, there is no point in putting plants back in or fish right back in to make the sterilization pointless. Transfer the pleco and BD's and start a fishless cycle or do massive daily water changes when you get your discus in.

[nicole5085]

I will keep the pleco in the other tank permanantly, as for the plants do we know for sure that they will carry diseases?

[Second Hand Pat]

I will keep the pleco in the other tank permanantly, as for the plants do we know for sure that they will carry diseases?

Problem is we do not know if they do or not.
Pat

[nicole5085]

So i have done some research and i can soak the plants for 10 minutes in potassium permanganate to clean them and i also read that if the plants are in a tank for 3 weeks without fish that parasites will not survive.
How does that sound to you all?

[rickztahone]

So i have done some research and i can soak the plants for 10 minutes in potassium permanganate to clean them and i also read that if the plants are in a tank for 3 weeks without fish that parasites will not survive.
How does that sound to you all?

I'd do the PP dip. I have only gone with bleach dips in the past, but that is brutal on many plants.

[nicole5085]

Thanks Rick!

[nicole5085]

I took the pleco out and the plants. Bleach is in the tank, will leave it a couple of days and then i will totally drain it and rinse thouroughly. I will start bio. Do you think 4 weeks is enough if i use the liquid bio starter.

[rickztahone]

I took the pleco out and the plants. Bleach is in the tank, will leave it a couple of days and then i will totally drain it and rinse thouroughly. I will start bio. Do you think 4 weeks is enough if i use the liquid bio starter.

No need to leave the bleach in for two days. Leave it in a few hours and then rinse and rinse and rinse and rinse some more, lol. Air dry it in the end, and make sure you use dechlor during rinses

[alron2]

Nicole,

Several people have recommended PURE AQUARIUM as an "instant cycle". I have never tried it.

http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?106792-Pure-Aquarium-Balls-Cycling-fishless

[SNap0283]

Bleach is pretty safe, it leaves no residue. If the tank is dry the bleach is gone. Bleach is just chlorine gas dissolved in the water. If its dry its gone. Don't kill yourself with a million rinses and bottles of declor. Rinse it REAL good once and let it dry completely. Do a fishless cycle with ammonia from an Ace hardware store. Try your luck with the instant cycle products and if the test kit shows it reduces the ammonia in a day you are ready to go. I would still figure on a couple weeks with a fishless cycle even with starter products.

[nicole5085]

Thanks to all of you!