Melafix and Pimafix recipes
Melafix is 99% distilled water and 1 % Tea tree oil (melaleuca oil).
You can buy distilled water cheaply, about $2.00 a gallon (128oz). Tea tree oil is available online and in any health store, alternative medicine stores, walmart, Rite Aid. You should have no problem finding it.
You then mix 1 ml oil to every 100 ml water and you get your own Melafix with the same strength as the store bought medicine (as close as makes no difference) Try to get the measurements as exact as possible but if you are a couple of ml of with the water it is no big deal. It is the oil you need to take care when you mix.
To make your own Pimafix it's 1% Bay oil or Pimenta racemosa, same as concentrations as the Melafix, so 1ml in 100ml of water.
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NOTES: Reuse your existing Melafix bottle 16 FL OZ (473ml)
1. Using a medicine dropper, measure 4 ? ml of Tea Tree Oil and add to empty bottle.
2. Fill 16oz bottle with DISTILLED water, shake lightly.
Dosage: remove activated carbon from filter, if possible
Add 5ml of Melafix to 10 U.S. gallons of aquarium water. Dose daily for 7 days. After 7 days make a 25% water change. Treatment can be continued if necessary.
This is great info. Thanks for sharing it.
BTW....could RO water be used?
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Are you turning into a snake oil salesman on us Jon? ;D ;D ;D I think the biggest thing both of those have going form them, is that people don't kill their fish using them, like they do with real medication. ::)
Dennis
Quote from: BallAquatics on October 09, 2013, 04:20:56 PM
Are you turning into a snake oil salesman on us Jon? ;D ;D ;D I think the biggest thing both of those have going form them, is that people don't kill their fish using them, like they do with real medication. ::)
Dennis
LOL..you bet Dennis, good for a case of fish blahs, etc....I believe it helps with fin rot, it's just a basic antiseptic..
"Melafix (a proprietary name) is an all-natural aquarium antibiotic consisting of an essential oil of the Melaleuca genus. Contrary to popular opinion it is not made from the common Tea tree, Melaleuca alternifolia, but from Melaleuca leucadendra, also known as the Cajeput Tree. This is confirmed by the manufacturer's Safety Data Sheet.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melafix
It is a wide-range antibiotic product, and thus is effective for a wide variety of mild gram positive[2] bacterial infections, such as fin rot. However, it is generally ineffective against aquatic parasites and is typically used for treating the wounds caused by them in order to prevent secondary infection by other microorganisms.[3]"
and yep, Pauline...R/O would be fine. ;D
You're sounding a little like a mad scientist yourself there Jon. I like it.
I like this because I use Melafix when I see the occasional white mouth from lip locking episodes. Up the water changes and dose with some Melafix.
Makes me feel better anyway. ;D
This is great info Jon. I look forward making my batches. LOL ;D ;D ;D
Cool.
I'm gonna try this.
I use Melafix in my q.t. tank. Glad to see this Jon you just saved me a lot of money
As Jon pointed out. Melafix is made from Melaleuca leucadendra and not Melaleuca alternifolia Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) is readily available, the other stuff, not so much. Making your own concoction with the Melaleuca alternifolia may not provide the same results. The benefits touted of the M. alternifolia appear to be the same as those of melafix so it is entirely possibly that the oils can be used interchangeably but you may want to run a few tests first. I doubt if it would hurt but it may not work as well. Just because the plants are related does not mean they all work in the same way. It seems that the M. alternifolia is much more readily available and it makes me wonder why Aquarium Pharmaceuticals would use the harder to find and presumably more expensive M. leucadendra if the two had the same effect. It also appears that the M. alternifolia oil may be available in different concentrations so be sure you know what you are using.
Good points Steve...it never hurts to double check ingredients.
Quote from: sschind on October 13, 2013, 09:06:38 PM
As Jon pointed out. Melafix is made from Melaleuca leucadendra and not Melaleuca alternifolia Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) is readily available, the other stuff, not so much. Making your own concoction with the Melaleuca alternifolia may not provide the same results. The benefits touted of the M. alternifolia appear to be the same as those of melafix so it is entirely possibly that the oils can be used interchangeably but you may want to run a few tests first. I doubt if it would hurt but it may not work as well. Just because the plants are related does not mean they all work in the same way. It seems that the M. alternifolia is much more readily available and it makes me wonder why Aquarium Pharmaceuticals would use the harder to find and presumably more expensive M. leucadendra if the two had the same effect. It also appears that the M. alternifolia oil may be available in different concentrations so be sure you know what you are using.
I am fairly certain that Melaleuca leucadendra oil is the same thing as cajeput oil and it's available and really not much more than tea tree oil.
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$29.47 a pint.....
http://www.bulkapothecary.com/essential-oils/cajeput-essential-oil/ (http://www.bulkapothecary.com/essential-oils/cajeput-essential-oil/)
Dennis
Quote from: Jdmcfast on October 14, 2013, 10:54:15 AM
Quote from: sschind on October 13, 2013, 09:06:38 PM
As Jon pointed out. Melafix is made from Melaleuca leucadendra and not Melaleuca alternifolia Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) is readily available, the other stuff, not so much. Making your own concoction with the Melaleuca alternifolia may not provide the same results. The benefits touted of the M. alternifolia appear to be the same as those of melafix so it is entirely possibly that the oils can be used interchangeably but you may want to run a few tests first. I doubt if it would hurt but it may not work as well. Just because the plants are related does not mean they all work in the same way. It seems that the M. alternifolia is much more readily available and it makes me wonder why Aquarium Pharmaceuticals would use the harder to find and presumably more expensive M. leucadendra if the two had the same effect. It also appears that the M. alternifolia oil may be available in different concentrations so be sure you know what you are using.
I am fairly certain that Melaleuca leucadendra oil is the same thing as cajeput oil and it's available and really not much more than tea tree oil.
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You are correct about the M.l being the same as cajeput. I didn't look into it past about page 2 of a google search and it didn't show nearly as many sources for the the tea tree oil. It is available though.
Where do you get the bay oil or the Pimenta racemosa?
Quote from: P4Angels2 on December 20, 2013, 12:32:59 PM
Where do you get the bay oil or the Pimenta racemosa?
'Google's' your friend..... ;D
https://www.google.com/search?q=+buy+bay+oil&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Personally I hate that stuff. I've never seen it do any good whether as a dog shampoo or for fish. I think it's snake oil.
Quote from: LizStreithorst on December 20, 2013, 05:20:25 PM
Personally I hate that stuff. I've never seen it do any good whether as a dog shampoo or for fish. I think it's snake oil.
It's toted as a mild natural antibiotic, it works nicely for fin damage, and minor abrasions..think of it as a wound cleanser, and disinfectant...It's not a disease cure-all...it's for when you need a little something extra, but don't need the big boy med's, etc....best part, the 'novice' can't really over dose it......too many nuts think 'more is better' yada yada
I've never seen it do a whit of good. I don't like the stuff at all. Good clean water takes takes care of most minor ills. I'd rather add salt than Melafix, but I have a prejudice against the stuff. I think the stuff it's a crock.
I'd like to see a group of fish with minor damage, some that were treated with Melafix and some getting lots of good clean water. Until I see that I won't change my mind.
Quote from: BallAquatics on December 20, 2013, 06:22:46 PM
Quote from: LizStreithorst on December 20, 2013, 05:20:25 PM
I think it's snake oil.
LOL Same here.....
Dennis
could be...but I think it's more of a fish comfort tool than most think...magic properties..naw
Well Jon you were right Google was my friend it led me to Ebay and presto found what I wanted for an awesome price for the Cajeput Essential Oil...ordered 2 bottles for less than $10 and free shipping!!!!
Quote from: P4Angels2 on December 21, 2013, 03:13:46 PM
Well Jon you were right Google was my friend it led me to Ebay and presto found what I wanted for an awesome price for the Cajeput Essential Oil...ordered 2 bottles for less than $10 and free shipping!!!!
Cool..... ;D
Yah lori :P