# Chemicals with Used Tank - What to keep/toss?



## PaperclipGirl (Feb 7, 2010)

My tank (with fish) I just bought came with lots of chemicals the previous owner must have used 

Any advice on what to keep or toss?


Jungle Right Start - water conditioner
Jungle Ick Clear tank buddies (fizz drops - 2 left)
Jungle Fungus Clear (fizz drops - 3 left)
Top Fin - Water clarifier
API Stress Coat
API Stress Coat +
Wardley Essentials Ick Away
Aquarium Starter and Optimizer (bought at LFS - no brand that I can see)
API Melafix
API pH Down
Aquarium Products Chrstal Clear
Aquarium Products Quick Cure (cures Ick - almost all gone)
Aquarium Salt *told not to use this because of the loaches

I really didn't get a chance to talk with the previous owners, they were moving and just wanted the tank gone, but I wonder with all these chemicals if there wasn't something wrong with the tank. A lot of the fish were babies so I wonder if they just bought the fish to enhance the resale value of the tank....

There were a lot of incompatible fish when I got the tank and ended up re-homing 4 and the fish all seem happy and social now.

Current residents
2 teen Angelfish
2 Congo Tetras
2 Kuhli Loaches
1 Red Fin Shark (was originally told Red Tail Shark, but now that he comes out more, I see all fins are red)
5 Otocinclus (I added these thursday- so far I have only seen 3 out and about)


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Lord you ain't kidding that is a LOT stuff.
What you do need every week is the water conditioner before you add the tap water to the tank each week; so def keep that.
All the meds do you have any idea how old they are? The ick meds I'd keep in case you need them you have them at home. The salt with your set up, toss it you can't use it anyway. pH down Chems; def do not use those, toss it.
They must have had a REAL good sales person at their fish store buying all this stuff..what a waste of money :roll:

What the behavior between the Congo's & Angels over time as they get older, they may start bully a lil so watch for that.


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## JohnnyD44 (Dec 5, 2008)

Of all the stuff listed....Angel is right, that previous owner was a sucker hahaha, their LFS loooooved him!!! 

I agree with what Angel said, keep the water conditioner....there's three on there. I've never used the Jungle brand, but I have used the API Stress coat. The Stress Coat and Stress Coat+ are the basically the same thing. The "+" has an added bonus in the way of working like "aloe vera" for the fishes skin. So if you keep one of the conditioners, I would make it the Stress Coat+.

I personally do not own, nor condone the use of what I call "miracle workers". These would be your water clarifiers, algae removers and all that other useless crap. I believe in using the tanks natural ability and water changes to correct problems, so I would ditch all of that stuff.

I agree on keeping the ick medicine, and other meds, but check the date on those. They do expire. I would also ditch the Ph down....I believe in buying fish to suite your natural waters pH.

That is alot of stuff!!

PS - Welcome to TFK!


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## PaperclipGirl (Feb 7, 2010)

Thanks guys.... 

I really was on the fence about many of these - I know that my pH is high in my water, but I agree that I should just get fish that are okay with that. 

As for the water clarifiers, my first thought was why? Can't you "clear the water" by doing a water change?? Maybe I'm dense that way. 

Believe it or not, I couldn't find expiration dates on most this stuff - so without one its getting tossed. 

Thanks again! ~cheers


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## Angel079 (Feb 14, 2007)

Well the issue with the "clear water algae removal" yaddy ya stuff....It will work _temporarily _no doubt but its only masking the problem that's causing it to begin with; so generally as a serious poet owner you'd rather wanna fully eliminate what's causing XYZ issues in your tank rather then masking it with 10 diff chem bottles.
Plus dep on the fish you are keeping some of that stuff can be pretty harmful to tank critters.

For you pH & Hardness; just test it, that's the only thing I'd strongly encourage you to invest in is a liquid all in 1 test kit for your pH, Ammonia, Nitrate, nitrite - That's something you're gonna need all the time.


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## PaperclipGirl (Feb 7, 2010)

I use the API liquid test kit.... (NH3/NH4, pH, NO2, NO3 only)

I do not have a the test that has the gH and kH yet, but its coming. Being a biochem major in college, I just don't trust dip strip tests. My water is hard water, I know that much but I don't have the exact figures.


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

"Water clarifiers" always baffled me. Water is already clear...right? Should be, anyway.


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## JohnnyD44 (Dec 5, 2008)

iamntbatman said:


> "Water clarifiers" always baffled me. Water is already clear...right? Should be, anyway.


+1 haha


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