This is a cautionary example of the use of medications in a low tech tank.
Use of Seachem Paraguard, Seachem Metronidazole/Aquazole, and salt, attempting to eliminate vorticella (a protozoan), in a heavily planted, low tech, 4 gallon tank. No heater. Mineralized potting soil covered by pool sand. Plants - Dwarf Sag, Crypt Parva, Anubias, Ludwigia Repens, Rotala, Fissidens, carpet of HC. Red cherry shrimp. Salt treatment was used to rid the vorticella from each shrimp, but the tank would infect them again.
Paraguard was used at recommended dosage x 3, with no reduction of vorticella. The medication immediately eliminated the copepods, ostracoda and daphnia. A year later, enough of the medication remains, the copepods have not returned. This destroyed the El Natural effect of the aquarium, as these organisms lived off the decaying vegetation allowing new growth and providing food for fish. Paraguard instructions have a "dip strength" usage. Since the tank was small, dip strength was used for the entire tank for a few hours. This temporarily removed the vorticella, but months later they were noticeable again (this could be due to the life cycle of vorticella). The Paraguard had no ill effect on plants or shrimp, except the dwarf sag, the leaves wilted. Multiple water changes and carbon filtration to remove medication. Afterward BGA formed on the Anubias, Ludwigia Repens, Rotala, and rock decorations. The tank was operating for almost 2 years with no algae problems, except for the initial outbreak during startup. The medication must have eliminated some bacteria that had previously kept the algae in check (further away from El Natural).
Since the tank was now a chemistry experiment Seachem Metronidazole/Aquazole was tried. The information for Metronidazole/Aquazole on the Seachem product page and bottle was limited. In Seachems' discussion groups, there was additional information; according to Seachems' representatives; Metronidazole is best used when mixed with food, and not for use in the water column, and mostly in saltwater. The recommendation for freshwater is Aquazole. Aquazole is 50% Metrozidazole and 50% potassium. Both medications are expensive, did not mix well with water, and are antibiotics. Both had no effect on vorticella, at recommended dosages. The medication stained the rock background green, and increased the spot algae growth on broad leaf plants. Months later the leaves of the anubias, crypt parva and ludwigia turned dark green. The dark green was on the top surface of leaves, the growth could not be rubbed off. The dark green had no surface texture. It caused the leaves to curl, as the bottom surface of the leaves turned to the light. These plants never recovered their damaged leaves. It's impossible to determine which medication was responsible for the algae.
Salt and heat treatment was tried months later. 1 tbsp salt per 1 gallon x volume of tank, raised temperature to 85 F for 21 days. This did eliminate the vorticella for a year now. All the plants survived but in poor condition, burned and ragged. Eventually the stem plants stopped growing and were removed. After a time the Dwarf Sagiteria sprouted new growth and took over the tank. The Crypt Parva came back with new growth, the damaged parts had to be removed. The shrimp showed no ill effects. The heat aspect may not have been necessary, given the length of the treatment.
The essence of a El Natural tank, with the sympathetic relationship of copepods/plants and plants/algae was not there after use of medications. The salt treatment seems the most natural. Organic potting soil contains chicken waste. This waste could contain organisms that are harmful to the aquarium fauna. It would be an interesting experiment, when mineralizing the soil, to disinfect it using salt. Would this harm the bacteria related to the mineralizing process or harm the good bacteria that would keep the algae in check later.
Use of Seachem Paraguard, Seachem Metronidazole/Aquazole, and salt, attempting to eliminate vorticella (a protozoan), in a heavily planted, low tech, 4 gallon tank. No heater. Mineralized potting soil covered by pool sand. Plants - Dwarf Sag, Crypt Parva, Anubias, Ludwigia Repens, Rotala, Fissidens, carpet of HC. Red cherry shrimp. Salt treatment was used to rid the vorticella from each shrimp, but the tank would infect them again.
Paraguard was used at recommended dosage x 3, with no reduction of vorticella. The medication immediately eliminated the copepods, ostracoda and daphnia. A year later, enough of the medication remains, the copepods have not returned. This destroyed the El Natural effect of the aquarium, as these organisms lived off the decaying vegetation allowing new growth and providing food for fish. Paraguard instructions have a "dip strength" usage. Since the tank was small, dip strength was used for the entire tank for a few hours. This temporarily removed the vorticella, but months later they were noticeable again (this could be due to the life cycle of vorticella). The Paraguard had no ill effect on plants or shrimp, except the dwarf sag, the leaves wilted. Multiple water changes and carbon filtration to remove medication. Afterward BGA formed on the Anubias, Ludwigia Repens, Rotala, and rock decorations. The tank was operating for almost 2 years with no algae problems, except for the initial outbreak during startup. The medication must have eliminated some bacteria that had previously kept the algae in check (further away from El Natural).
Since the tank was now a chemistry experiment Seachem Metronidazole/Aquazole was tried. The information for Metronidazole/Aquazole on the Seachem product page and bottle was limited. In Seachems' discussion groups, there was additional information; according to Seachems' representatives; Metronidazole is best used when mixed with food, and not for use in the water column, and mostly in saltwater. The recommendation for freshwater is Aquazole. Aquazole is 50% Metrozidazole and 50% potassium. Both medications are expensive, did not mix well with water, and are antibiotics. Both had no effect on vorticella, at recommended dosages. The medication stained the rock background green, and increased the spot algae growth on broad leaf plants. Months later the leaves of the anubias, crypt parva and ludwigia turned dark green. The dark green was on the top surface of leaves, the growth could not be rubbed off. The dark green had no surface texture. It caused the leaves to curl, as the bottom surface of the leaves turned to the light. These plants never recovered their damaged leaves. It's impossible to determine which medication was responsible for the algae.
Salt and heat treatment was tried months later. 1 tbsp salt per 1 gallon x volume of tank, raised temperature to 85 F for 21 days. This did eliminate the vorticella for a year now. All the plants survived but in poor condition, burned and ragged. Eventually the stem plants stopped growing and were removed. After a time the Dwarf Sagiteria sprouted new growth and took over the tank. The Crypt Parva came back with new growth, the damaged parts had to be removed. The shrimp showed no ill effects. The heat aspect may not have been necessary, given the length of the treatment.
The essence of a El Natural tank, with the sympathetic relationship of copepods/plants and plants/algae was not there after use of medications. The salt treatment seems the most natural. Organic potting soil contains chicken waste. This waste could contain organisms that are harmful to the aquarium fauna. It would be an interesting experiment, when mineralizing the soil, to disinfect it using salt. Would this harm the bacteria related to the mineralizing process or harm the good bacteria that would keep the algae in check later.
