I vacume my tank every week - and there is so much stuff that comes up through the vacume - and there is little pieces flying all over the tank. Isnt the filter suposed to get alot of that stuff?? If that much stuff is below the gravel what happens to tanks where people dont vacume??
2007-04-27 10:59:29 · 15 answers · asked by ian s 3 in Pets ➔ Fish
It's normal IF your tank went too long without a vacuuming since the last time. You should get SOME gunk up out of the gravel, but not a lot, and it shouldn't go all over the tank. If there's that much it's surely creating poor water quality. You should vacuum the gravel more often and probably feed less as well.
You shouldn't stir the gravel. Just push the tube into the gravel and pull it straight back out slowly, over and over.
2007-04-28 18:36:29 · answer #1 · answered by ceci9293 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Over feeding is the most common cause of what you are describing. However if you have a particularly dirty fish such as an oscar or other large cichlids you will get a lot of gunk no matter what you do. Also the gunk that ends up "flying all over the tank" as you put it is either due to the shear amount of gunk that you have or more likely you are stirring the gravel with improper vacuum technique. The proper way to vacuum a tank is to move slowly (until you get it down then you can go faster) in a grid type pattern across the tank floor. Slowly insert the tube in a spot allowing the gunk to flow up (the vacuum may pick up your rocks depending on their size and tumble them a bit this is normal) when the flow clears move to the next spot. (I find that if I do a slight overlap from where I just vacuumed to the next area then I am sure that I do not miss an area) Do this while being careful not to stir the gravel you may still get some floaties but it wont be as bad.
To answer the second part of your question "what happens to tanks where people dont vacume??" The tanks get nasty and full of toxins and the fish die.
Best of luck to you.
2007-04-29 08:40:39 · answer #2 · answered by my3mohrkids 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You didn't mention what size tank you have or how many fish are in it. That crap is probably just that.......This is just what is suppose to go up the tube there. It is normal. You I am assuming have an underground system. The dirt in the bottom is Normal and you are doing right by cleaning it once a week. The concern I have it you shouldn't be cleaning the whole bottom weekly. You should do 1/4 to 1/3 weekly. Each week move to a different section. This bacteria buildup is essential to the ecosystem and health and well being of your tank and fish. Another thought you might consider is maybe you are over feeding your fish and the stuff on the bottom is food. Remeber feed only enough food the fish will eat in a few minutes.
2007-04-27 11:14:21 · answer #3 · answered by jsutake 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
It's normal . But it does sound like you feed the fish to much and that's why you are vacuuming so much crap up every week . I would cut back on the amount your feeding them because it's being wasted and collecting in the tank . The other has to do with the size of the tank and the amount of fish your have. If you have a small tank less space for the crap to collect.As for the fish if its a small tank and you have too many fish that will also increase the crap in the tank . Also listen to Danielle on the siphoning.
2007-04-27 16:28:20 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For a three gallon tank i'd not even problem about getting one because it might want to be in simple terms as undemanding to scrub the total tank out. I bear in mind seeing a small one at walmart the different day for more advantageous or less $6. i do not flow to petsmart regularly yet for a tank that small you would not want a very enormous siphon for it.
2016-11-28 03:32:38 · answer #5 · answered by mcginnes 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That junk in the gravel is what you're SUPPOSED to be vacuuming out. That's the whole point. It's too heavy or too big to get to the filter, so the gravel catches it and keeps it out of the water. THen you sift thru the gravel and suck it out with the vacuum.
2007-04-27 11:08:04 · answer #6 · answered by Angela M 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
You might try feeding the fish less. Your problem often occurrs with over feeding. i would recommend also trying to put your filter on high power if able while vaccuming and then an hour or so afterwords rinse out the filters. If it takes a while for this "stuff" to settle back down you might try adding some potassium permanganate which you can get at any local fish store.
2007-04-27 12:29:07 · answer #7 · answered by amphitrite87 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No it isn't Normal. You are not using your vac properly. When vacuuming you need to PUSH the wide end of the siphone into the gravel and lift the gravel into the siphone. This allows the gravel to tumble in the siphone and the debris to be sucked into the tube and removed. The heavy stones fall back into the tank and the "STUFF" gets sucked out.
Sometimes if you have not cleaned your gravel in a while, try using a fine fish net and filter the tank water coming out of the siphone thru that net. If you see you need more time to clean the bottom, dump the filtered or strained tank water back in and continue to clean the gravel.
Don't worry you are not going to suck the bacteria off the rocks or out of the tank. Most people don't use the siphone properly.
2007-04-27 13:39:14 · answer #8 · answered by danielle Z 7 · 1⤊ 4⤋
when people dont vacume, the ammonia builds to toxic levels, maybe your filter isnt strong or you have goldfish but yes, this normal. Goldfish should be stocked at 1 fish per ten gallons at least.
2007-04-27 11:21:19 · answer #9 · answered by digby_by 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
the filter cant get the stuff in the stones and yes its normal, if they don't vacuum, the tank ends up with filthy, toxic water and the fish die!!
2007-04-27 11:36:14 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋