Cleaning my 10 gal tank?

Question

i have a 10 gallon tank and i have had fish it it for about a month now. i changed about 2 gallons of it 3 days ago. How often should i change the water. Is 2 gallons every 2 weeks good enough? How often do the rocks need to be cleaned?

Answer 1

I would recommend closer to three gallons every other week (every week if you have no filter). If you use a gravel washer/siphon while changing the water, it will remove most of the debris from the gravel at the same time.
A

Answer 2

Ideally, depending on how stocked the tank is, you should be doing 20-40% changes weekly to combat nitrate levels. So if you do 2 gallons every week, you should be fine.

Never ever do a 100% water change, as this will kill your biological filter.

The rocks should really never have to be cleaned, unless you notice algae growth. If this is the case, clean them every 2-3 weeks (or until you can't stand the sight of the algae - algae does nothing to harm your tank, it just looks ugly). If you have a HOB filter, you can replace the medium every 3-4 months instead of every month as recommended. Just lightly wash the filter in used tank water until it starts falling apart - the carbon really only removes medications and odors (which you won't have a problem with if you do weekly water changes).

Since your tank is so new, take a sample of your water to your local pet store where you can buy fish from and see if they'll test the ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH levels for you (they'll usually do it for free) just to make sure your tank is fully cycled. Ammonia and nitrite should measure at 0ppm and nitrate at less than 40ppm (though less than 20ppm is ideal).

EDIT: Oh..wait.. rocks... You mean the gravel at the bottom of the tank? If so, use a gravel vacuum to clean 50% of it every week. If you're talking about decorative rocks, then listen to what I originally said.

Answer 3

If your tank is still new (I you haven't had the love orangish/brown Diatom begin to show on the sides of your tank) then all you need to do right now is water changes, and only vacuum the gravel with a Python No-Spill (or similar product) maybe every 60 to 90 days (depending on the bioload of the fish).

Vacuuming the gravel is a big myth by most hobbyist. You can sweep over it every 30 days to get loose junk from the top, but don't do the deep digging, vacuuming but every 60 to 90 days.

Water changes every 7 days at a rate of 10-15%.

Good luck

Answer 4

If you have a good exterior filtering system you shouldn't have to change it more then once every six months or so. For the rocks or gravel get a siphon system which stirs up the rocks and the water is sent through a screen which filters the filth built up. If you have some good scavenger fish they do a good job of cleaning to as well as a good underground filter system. I wouldn't change the water to often though because it can bring shock on to the fish

Answer 5

the rocks should be cleaned once every 1 or 2 months and your doing good with the water but call the pet store just to be sure about every thing

Answer 6

I always changed my tank every 2 weeks but all the water should be taken out and the rocks should be washed at each time you change the tank. Just take some water from the tank b4 you change it and place it in a bowl and put your fish in the bowl. Never put fish in water that has not sat for a dew hours, thats why you use water from the tank. then clean your tank and rocks and let the water sit for a couple hours then it will be safe to place the fish back in. If you have a air hose you can place it in the bowl with the fish just to keep your mind at ease.

Answer 7

don't kill yourself cleaning it too often, that might upset your fish (put them into shock). Get a fish that sucks the scum off the tank, that will assist you in cleaning it, go talk to your local pet store they can answer all these questions you have.

I have a small tank too and I don't clean it that often, when I see scum on the side or when I can smell it. I only have one fish though.

Answer 8

fact: "cleanser" fish do no longer do lots cleansing! Corys are shoaling omnivores, they want their own supplementary feedings of sinking pellets and bloodworms, they do no longer do lots cleansing, and could desire to be stored in communities, no longer on my own. on your tank you're constrained to smaller corys like the very comfortable pygmy species and pandas. Otocinclus are herbivores that eat some delicate algaes (no longer all varieties!). Otos back could desire to be in communities of a minimum of three and are all wild-caught, so are very comfortable to water high quality. Shrimp like Amanos are very effectual algae eaters, back in user-friendly terms eat some algaes. Amanos are sufficiently vast to no longer be eaten with the aid of bettas yet back are susceptable to water high quality issues so your tank might must be pristine and mature. they might want to be supplemented with algae wafers and different shrimp professional meals. Apple Snails are super, and can be messy, they are going to graze on some algae and could thankfully up root stay flora. they could desire to be supplemented with sinking ingredients like algae wafers. you are the final guy or woman to maintain the tank sparkling, fish and different creatures offered as cleaners want in simple terms as lots care, if not greater, than bettas and tetras.