Ich Treatment In A Planted Tank

[peegee617]

I set up a 29 gal planted tank about six weeks ago and it is looking awesome. The plants are all growing really well, and the fish all look good, but today I noticed one of my cardinal tetras has a few ich spots. Disaster!! I would prefer to do the heat/salt route to treat the tank, but is that going to be the demise of all my lovely plants?? Is there a med I could use that would be kinder on my plants?
 
As if that isn't bad enough I am leaving for ten days on Saturday (two days time) and my bf is going to come in to feed the fish. Now he is not remotely savvy so just getting him to feed them was stressing me enough. There's no chance he'll do water changes so I guess I just have to set something in process and hope for the best.  Any suggestions (other than don't go away, which can't be avoided) would be much appreciated.
 
Fish in the tank are: Cardinals, white clouds, glow-lights, guppies, a couple of GBR's, a BN pleco and a clown pleco.  Plants - amazon sword, cryptocoryne,, anubias, java fern, java moss, ancharis, bacopa, myriophylum 

 

[lrhodes]

http/www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=43241

Someone on this forum used quICKcure on their tank with plants. And said all did fine.
I used it last time I had a big ich outbreak, and it helped after the salt/heat method failed miserably. I don't have a planted tank.... but the forum I posted did. Check it out.

 

[Xzavier247]

I wouldn't waste money on ich treatments. 
1. It stains anything in the tank such as tubing and silicone.
2. Its a chemical
3. You will only kill the free floating stage.
 
Here is what I recommend when I battled ich.
People will recommend salt but I didnt do it because I had sensitive stock....
Easy....
here we go.
You want to set up your heater to 86*F.
But you want to gradually get there. Maybe a degree every 2 hours....... Once at 86 you want to keep the temperature stable for about 2 weeks.
Once all the ich disappears. Keep it at 86 for another week for safety and bam.... It works. and free.

 

[BearPA]

Sounds like my tank with same concern. Only a few spots on a Platy. Will go buy an adjustable heater. Will it bother fish, 3 zebra danios and now only 2 red wag platy and 2 apple snails.
Started up on Christmas. Real dirt w/gravel cap.
Ammonia @ zero
Nitrite 2ppm
Nitrate 5ppm
PH 7.6
Adding API leaf zone and CO2 Booster

 

[peegee617]

I upped the temp to 86f and dosed with Kordon Ich Attack (from Petsmart). If I wasn't going away I would have just tried the temp hike but I'll not be there to monitor what's going on. According to the manufacturer Ich Attack is organic, will not harm plants or stain anything and is safe for catfish and inverts (there's a cherry shrimp in the tank somewhere...) so I'm not too worried about adding these chemicals.
 
 This med requires a daily dosage so I have added it to the fertilizer/excel drip set-up I made for during my absence.  In theory at least everything should run just as if I was there all along. We shall see what we shall see when I get back 0
 
On the plus side, there are no new cysts, and the fish are all eating well (must be because of the bath water they're basking in!)

 

[Xzavier247]

I upped the temp to 86f and dosed with Kordon Ich Attack (from Petsmart). If I wasn't going away I would have just tried the temp hike but I'll not be there to monitor what's going on. According to the manufacturer Ich Attack is organic, will not harm plants or stain anything and is safe for catfish and inverts (there's a cherry shrimp in the tank somewhere...) so I'm not too worried about adding these chemicals.
 
 This med requires a daily dosage so I have added it to the fertilizer/excel drip set-up I made for during my absence.  In theory at least everything should run just as if I was there all along. We shall see what we shall see when I get back 0
 
On the plus side, there are no new cysts, and the fish are all eating well (must be because of the bath water they're basking in!)
 
 

Don't forget to do water changes. Its a must.

 

[peegee617]

Yes, I typically do 50% water changes every two-three days, but I am away for ten days and like I said in my first post it's all I can do to get my bf to feed the fish...   The meds actually say not to do a water change during treatment oddly enough, so I have to let fate take a hand and do a major water change the day I get back.
I have all my fingers and toes crossed (which makes walking rather awkward) so hopefully all will be well (literally) when I get home.

 

[BearPA]

I bought an adjustable heater and turned up temp. No problems, no chemicals. Thanks! Added more plants. Did changes weekly and testing shows all good...