Homebrew Melafix

[Sarah Bella]

this stuff is the bomb, i use it daily as preventative maintenance and i always add it at water changes and have had great results. Clears up fungus, rot, cloudy eye, protects against parasites and is just a really great "tonic". At $6+ for a small bottle of real melafix this homebrew is way more cost effective.

Recipe

99% water
1% tea tree or cajuput oil

thats 1tsp tea tree oil per litre of water (or 1ml oil per 100ml water). Shake really well before use (there are no emulsifiers in it like there is in the real thing) use 1tsp of solution for every 10 gallons of water in your tank. If you "overdose" no worries, its not toxic at all. Tea tree oil is a natural plant ingredient and breaks down quickly in the water so you can dose everyday without any cause for concern.

[puffernuke]

where do you get tea tree and about how much does it cost?

[Rocker]

Something I'd use as a medication but not as an everyday additition. Dosing everyday might reduce the effectiveness during a true medical case. NIMFT

[RTR]

I do not use anything that I do not have a clear need to add, especially not chronically. NIMFT. But then I do not have fungus, rot, cloudy eye, or parasites in my tanks either.

[lisalisa]

I agree with Rocker on daily dosing, although I have to admit that it sounds like a great treatment alternative.

[Sarah Bella]

hey puffernuke

i pay $21 for 1/2 litre from my canadian distributor, but you can find it online anywhere. the cheapest places to look are at soaping supply houses . I make soap and lotions etc so it is something i always have on hand. I use it primarily for my bettas who are prone to such diseases

dont buy it at the phamacy for $15/15ml, its a waste of money

Something I'd use as a medication but not as an everyday additition. Dosing everyday might reduce the effectiveness during a true medical case.

To each his own, but i would equate it more to using a hand cream.... putting it on everday is not going to ruin its effectiveness during a true outbreak of dry skin Or putting chlorine in a pool everyday isnt going to ruin its effectiveness when you have a really bad algae outbreak... Or taking vitamin C or echinacea daily to prevent a cold... Its just something to put in the water to inhibit nasty bugs...

But then I do not have fungus, rot, cloudy eye, or parasites in my tanks either.

Nor do i and the amount that is actually IN each dose is minimal. 5ml of 1% solution in 10 gallons of water is like equivalent to what? 1/10000 of a ml ? (no i didnt REALLY do the math, but im sure someone will correct me if im wrong ) its mother natures cure all.... im sure the fish that swim in the waters that gather the leaf waste from the maleluca tree are quite healthy

[Rocker]

Thats ok - Your tanks, your fish. If you find it helps you then no problem. I have to disagree on the whole though for others as an idea. This section is to promote good ideas and I personally would not promote that.

[Pufferpunk]

If you "overdose" no worries, its not toxic at all.

Not true, I have overdosed & wiped out all the inhabitants.

[Sarah Bella]

My methods may seem "unorthodox" to you, ive never done anything "by the book" as we must try things for ourselves to truly understand the function and purpose of everything around us. i have extensively studied botany and herbology and have practiced my methods for a very long time.

Rocker my my recipe is sound and used globally by fishkeepers. If trying to save someone a bit of money is wrong then whatever...
You may not promote my uses of it but thats your choice. i use it and have been for many years so i do know what im talking about.

pufferpunk you would have to have had a major accident with it to have poisoned your tank... by overdosing i mean spilling that extra bit into the water, or eyeball measuring. I certainly wouldnt promote dumping a liter of the stuff into a 5 gal tank or anything.

<<Edited down by Jhong to keep the useful information on track... You're welcome to comment on this forum, not trying to be Big Brother here, but please, please do so in the lounge>>

[Phaedrus]

puffernuke, you can usually find raw teatree oil at health food or holistic type body shops that sell natural hand creams and things like that. drug stores even carry it in bulk forms sometimes.

Personally, for as often that i use it and the amount that I use, melafix is cheap enough as it is and a large bottle will last for quite a long time.

[ChesapeakeSwellfish]

PP - any details about the O.D. ? Maybe your experience will help us to avoid an O.D. and we might learn from the unfortunate deaths. Thanks.

[Pufferpunk]

I always use the concentrated pool version (1tsp/50g). It was a 15g QT & I meant to just pour a little in (w/o measuring). I knew I put too much in there but thinking, it's "only natural" I wasn't worried. Everyon was dead within a few hours.

[PetPirate]

I think this one should be kept on track.

I personally never recommend Melafix or the likes, even on WMM. I don't believe it is natural in such concentrations, and if the fish has a diagnose-able problem, then I would rather see people isolate and treat with proven medications, rather than something pseudo-scientific.

That said, I know many fishkeepers, including many on this forum, use Melafix for treatment, and as such, Sarah's recipe and advice is very useful and I am sure will be much appreciated by many.

Note: I've edited out the mudslinging and superfluous responses, but no-one should take this as indicative that the forum doesn't tolerate negative comments -- I just think this one crossed the line from sensible debate.

[Pufferpunk]

On the positive side of Melafix, I swear by it & definitely think it has a use for medicating a display tank w/fish you don't want to QT (or using in QT to boost stronger meds), w/o disturbing the biological bed. I also recommend it on WWM. I just measure it out every time now. Great for healing fin/body damage! I've never used Pimafix.

How can you say it's not "natural"? Meds certainly aren't.

See how 2 adults can disagree amicably? We are on total opposites of opinion & didn't call each other names or even talk down to them. I didn't even say he was wrong!

It's really too bad that Sarah left (I think), as she could have probably taught me/us a lot about herbal/homeopathic remedies. I use a lot of them for myself & Kalvin. I had a life-threatening disease a while back & those remedies got me thru the side effects of chemo & helped it along, so I only had to be on it for 8 months, instead of the recommended 11 months & I'm in "permanent remission". I also take echinacea daily in the winter, top prevent getting sick & Airborn, when I am going into a crowded place. No colds at all this winter! Taking something to boost my immune system though, is not the same as taking cold meds daily. I have even been reading a little on Reef Central about adding exhinacea to fish/coral's food & adding vit C & E to their tanks. I take Valerian to sleep, glucosamine for my knees & a bunch of anti-oxidants to prevent cancer. I'm one healthy gal!

[puffernuke]

Wow PP, I don't think my grandpa takes as much medicine as you, bet that makes you feel old :38: ha ha ha j.k.

I did find some tree tea, but at the price it was, and the fact that i can't do anything right, i will just stick to buying melafix