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 cleaning my tank
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| Author | Topic: cleaning my tank |
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AMR22 Member  Posts: 43 |
posted 02-27-2004 03:40 PM
 
i need help telling when to clean my tank and how do i clean my tank IP: Logged |
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cichlids small Jaws Member Posts: 255 |
posted 02-27-2004 03:52 PM
you should do weekly water changes and gravel vacume. to give you a better answer we need to know what size tank. how many fish. what filtration do you have and what type of fish they are. but the usaly 25% water changes a week will be good ------------------ early bird gets the worm! but the second mouse gets the chesse! IP: Logged |
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tina1 Member Posts: 158 |
posted 02-27-2004 04:03 PM
Generally speaking once every other week is good if you have a medium size tank with average community fish. I know when I need to clean just by looking at the tank. Can you see waste, uneaten food, and junk in the rocks? Is there algae on the glass? Is the water a dingy color? If yes, then it is time to clean the tank! Get a scrubber for scrubbing algae off the walls and a gravel vacuum. Unplug everything first! I usually start with the scrubber, when I'm done I vacuum the gravel and fill the tank back up. The water will be very cloudy for a couple hours but after you plug your filter back in it will take care of itself. And don't forget to add a dechlorinator to the water. IP: Logged |
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AMR22 Member Posts: 43 |
posted 02-27-2004 04:05 PM
i have a ten gallon tank with ten fish IP: Logged |
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AMR22 Member Posts: 43 |
posted 02-27-2004 04:08 PM
how does the under gravel filter work and what if it only covers one corner IP: Logged |
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tina1 Member Posts: 158 |
posted 02-27-2004 04:50 PM
A ten gallon with ten fish I would clean once per week taking out 25-30% of the dirty water by vacuuming. Its been years since I've used a undergravel filter so I don't remember anything about them. Maybe someone else can help with that. IP: Logged |
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AMR22 Member Posts: 43 |
posted 02-27-2004 04:56 PM
r there any other filters that would keep it clean IP: Logged |
Hooben Moderator Posts: 199 |
posted 02-27-2004 05:59 PM
Basically, you are stuck with the gravel vacuuming every week. There is no filter that is good enough to help you with that. A good small hang on the back filter would be great. The penguin mini bio wheel is a good bet, and would keep your water clearer. The main problems with undergravel systems is there is no mechanical filtration, and there is a high amount of sludge buildup under the plates. Make sure the 10 fish are going to stay small and you will be okay! Good luck. IP: Logged |
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AMR22 Member Posts: 43 |
posted 02-27-2004 06:05 PM
i was thinking about getting a 60 gal tank would that lower the weekly gravel vacume [This message has been edited by AMR22 (edited 02-27-2004).] IP: Logged |
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Hooben Moderator Posts: 199 |
posted 02-27-2004 06:15 PM
It would lower the weekly gravel vacuum to like once every two weeks. That is if the tank is not overstocked, you have good filtration, and don't overfeed. IP: Logged |
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AMR22 Member Posts: 43 |
posted 02-27-2004 06:40 PM
what would be good fish and what amount IP: Logged |
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t_chelle16 Member Posts: 501 |
posted 02-27-2004 07:58 PM
What kinds of fish are in your 10 gallon? That's going to make a huge difference. If you have 10 fish that only get 1", you're going to be fine, but if those 10 fish are going to get 6", you wil be in trouble. The best thing to do is get test kits for ammonia, nitrIte, and nitrAte. If your tank is correctly cycled, the ammonia & nitrIte should both stay at 0 (if they're not, you have problems). NitrAte should be less than 20ppm. And since water changes are the best way of removing nitrAtes, you should do frequent enough water changes to keep the nitrAtes below that level. And also you should vacuum your gravel every time you do a water change. That will remove all the waste & excess food in the gravel and help keep the nitrAtes from building up as qucikly. And just in case you don't know this already, you should be dechlorinating any new water you add to the tank and try to make sure the temp of new water is as close as possilbe to the water in the tank. -Chelle IP: Logged |
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AMR22 Member Posts: 43 |
posted 02-27-2004 08:09 PM
i have 2 iridescent sharks 2 kuhli loaches 2 gold platties 3 gold danios 1 pleco hopefully getting a bigger tank for the fish IP: Logged |
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AMR22 Member Posts: 43 |
posted 02-27-2004 08:43 PM
what does a gravel vacuum do?another question how much on average do around 40 gal tanks cost? [This message has been edited by AMR22 (edited 02-27-2004).] IP: Logged |
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Hooben Moderator Posts: 199 |
posted 02-27-2004 09:07 PM
The gravel vacuum will work when you draw water out of an aquarium with the help of gravity or suction. The larger end of the vaccum is placed into the gravel and will take out all of the filth and leave the gravel where it is. This process is absolutely necessary if you want to maintain a healthy aquarium. The 40 gallon tank can vary in price, depending on where you live. IP: Logged |
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AMR22 Member Posts: 43 |
posted 02-28-2004 06:54 AM
ok thanx for your help IP: Logged |
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t_chelle16 Member Posts: 501 |
posted 02-28-2004 08:55 AM
I don't know about 40 gallons, but Walmart sells 55 gallon tank kits. The tank kit & stand is about $350. It comes with the hood, light, heater, and filter (I recommend getting a different filter). Oh, and I'd definitley get rid of the iridescent sharks. They can get over 4 feet long and aren't suited for 99% of home aquariums. -Chelle IP: Logged |
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kristisanchez Member Posts: 16 |
posted 03-01-2004 04:57 PM
Everyone has such great suggestions. It is great to read all the great suggestions. Word of mouth is the best. I am so glad I am able to read everyone suggestions. Kristi IP: Logged |
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