Umm..

[Roxyluvsme13]

I hate to ask more questions, but I just bought some Novaqua for the bettas today... Do you have to use Amquel with it, too...?

[Husky_mom]

i really have no clue on those products since im not familiar with them (we have different brands here :rolleyes: ) but i found this on a site

Novaqua can be used with it to fully condition water

heres the site, well its a place where they sell them but it had some specifications

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_additives_kordon.asp?CartId=

[Roxyluvsme13]

-____- That means I'm going to have to go buy some Amquel, too.. :rolleyes:. Stupid me for not reading before I bought it.

[Husky_mom]

weeeell, it says you can use them to fully condition water not that you have to........

[Roxyluvsme13]

Yeah, but I don't think I'll feel safe using just one.. :o

[Husky_mom]

yeah i know what you mean......

[Zippy]

I use betta bowl buddies for Nemo tank around 1.5-2 gallons.I have never heard for those products

[IRescue452]

IMHO you really should stop wasting money on the stuff al together. All you need is dechlor, or to leave the water sit to let the chlorine dissapate. If it says it makes a great combo with another product it is probably to get you to spend more.

[Roxyluvsme13]

IMHO you really should stop wasting money on the stuff al together. All you need is dechlor, or to leave the water sit to let the chlorine dissapate. If it says it makes a great combo with another product it is probably to get you to spend more.
Yeah, but doesn't that take like 2 weeks? I would do that, but it's kind of hard when I only have one jug at the moment that I can fill with water.

[K9soul]

I just use Stress Coat. If I remember right Amquel is to get rid of ammonia in the water if your water tests to have too high of an ammonia level. If it's Amquel Plus, it would do that plus remove chlorine. Novaqua is like Stresscoat I believe, dechlorinates, helps add the protective slime coat etc. Both of my tanks are cycled so I don't have to worry about high ammonia levels.

[Roxyluvsme13]

I don't even think there's any ammonia in our water.. :confused:. I'll just use the Novaqua plus and hope for the best.

[K9soul]

Almost all tap water has some level of ammonia, and of course the fish waste creates ammonia. That's why it's important to change the water often, especially if they are in small containers. The ammonia levels can build up and become toxic or cause illness very quickly in small containers. There are ammonia test kits (and nitrate/nitrite etc etc). But again that stuff is not cheap. Fishkeeping can actually be a very expensive hobby if making sure they will have good conditions and live the longest life possible. Unfortunately a lot of people get fish thinking they are "cheap" or "easy" pets. But if a person wants their fish to live longer than a few months, more investment and effort needs to be put into it. Betta fortunately are still easier than most fish since they can tolerate higher ammonia and nitrite levels than many other fish, but they still often get fin rot and other diseases if not in good conditions.

[Roxyluvsme13]

Ok, thanks :). I'll just make sure to watch them and change their water often until I can get some Amquel Plus. I normally change it once a week, but would 2 times a week be better? Most are in one gallons, 3 in 1/2 gallons.

[K9soul]

Twice would be good, especially the half-gallons, and also make sure you don't put in extra food that they don't eat because that also converts to ammonia as it breaks down in the water. You are probably fine without Amquel or any other ammonia removing agent as long as you do that. In fact I believe those ammonia removers advise to only use in tanks/containers with filtration. At least I know Ammo-Lock does. Some people recommend every other day even for containers less than a gallon but they could probably get by with twice if they aren't overfed and aren't too messy (it can vary from fish to fish).

[Roxyluvsme13]

Well, some of my bettas have been home about a week and they still haven't eat.. Well, actually that's only Melody. I've offered her Pellets, peas, and cucumber, but she won't touch any of it.. :/. But what they don't eat I've been removing from the water, since it bugs me to death when they have all this food gunk on the bottom :p.

[bckrazy]

I use Amquel & Novaqua plus together, to keep the water optimum. It's my understanding that Amquel aids in binding ammonia. I also add IAL extract which helps to bind ammonia and keep the water at blackwater condition. I've had a lot of success with using both, but Novaqua plus used alone is great too. StressCoat can also be used alone as a dechlorinator, and works very well... I just get annoyed because of all of the added stuff, and how it causes my tanks to get a film on the surface after a few days.

Honestly, I started off using them together because when I ordered my BettaTalk pair, Faith advised me to use it. It worked so well that I haven't changed since. I also buy the HUGE bottles (and I'm thinking of buying the powder form) so it is much less costly than buying small bottles of other, less reliable dechlors.

[K9soul]

Yeah my tanks are filtered so I don't have any problem with a film on the top. I had both before but when I decided to cycle my tanks I went to using just Stresscoat. Course I only have two bettas, if I had a bunch in smaller/uncycled containers I might go back to using both. Fortunately I was able to keep myself from getting in too deep (for me personally anyway :p) and just stuck to my two. I've had them since March 2005.

[bckrazy]

Yeah, if you have a filter or current of some sort in the tank, StressCoat is fine. I actually use it in my divided 10g and because it has a filter there isn't any filmy stuff. It also wouldn't be a problem with jars, or 1/2 gallons, since those need to be changed every 2 or 3 days anyway.

=0) In too deep for me, would be like, 200 Bettas. I'm ok with the 12 adults and 50 or so fry I have right now. I had 100, most of them in seperate tanks with 20 juvie girls in one large grow-out. That was kinda iffy.