Cleaning tank?

Question

So a few days ago I did about a 50% water change because the gravel was looking a little gross and there was foam and bubbles at the water's surface. The water is still very foamy, so I plan on doing a 20-30% water change. Should I take out the decor and stuff so I can clean where that stuff was? How mcuh Aquaplus should I add after putting that 20-30% back?

Answer 1

You really don't have to take out the decorations. If you find them getting in the way alot, you can just move them to one side, clean there, and then move to the other.

Aqua plus I believe is 5 ml, or one capful per ten gallons, you use that based on how much water you take out, not how much the tank is, unless that is your first time filling it up.

And no, please don't listen to above. I think you got alot of answers last time you asked about this. You never really want to take out all the water and wash down everything. Having clear water is not an indicator that everything is fine. When tanks are first starting out, the water will get hazy and cloudy, and that is a good sign.
JV

Answer 2

You can just move the decor around without removing it from the tank. Foamy water usually means Phosphates in the tank,this is most usuall caused by gross overfeeding. The chemicals come from uneaten food. Judging by your description I think you should do more frequent water changes and gravel siphoning. It's also a good practice to treat the re-fill water before adding it to the tank. The chlorine in the tap water can kill all of the beneficial bacteria before the water treatment works. Doing a 50% change and refilling with untreated tap water is a very risky practice and since you've already done that you should start monitoring the ammonia levels for a couple of weeks. As to how much treatment to add,figure out what the appropriate number of gallons is and go by the package instructions.(Total tank volume X % of water changed = Total gallons to treat.) Say, for instance, you do a 30% change in a 50 gallon tank, it would be 50 gallons times .30 = 15 gallons of water to treat. Then just follow the label instructions.
Try to start a weekly program of 25% water changes, it's better for your fish.

Answer 3

You should do water changes of about 30% ever day, other day, twice per week - whatever works with your schedule, while vacuuming the gravel until you've caught up to the mess.

When you add the conditioner you simply add 30% of the recommended dose for your tank (or whatever percentage of water you remove).

If your tank has been a little neglected then there is nothing wrong with removing the decorations to make the tank easier to vacuum out. It's your choice whether you want to remove them or not.

In the future, get into the habit of vacuuming and water changing every week, that way the tank doesn't degrade over time.

If you tear down the tank and clean it all as recommended a couple of times above you risk upsetting the balance and harming or killing the fish - this should always be avoided as much as possible.

Answer 4

Do a 20% water change every other day. Follow directions on the label for Aquaplus. (I use "Stress Coat" and find it to be sufficient.) You can return your decor when water clears up. Check your water parameters to ensure your water is within ranges your fish require. Do not replace filter while doing water changes as you don't want to reduce your good bacteria. Replace filter media after water clears.

Do not clean your decor with soap! Use plain hot water and a lot of elbow grease.

You didn't say how long the tank has been up. If it is a new tank leave the water to cycle itself for about 2 weeks and it should begin to clear as it is creating good bacteria.

Answer 5

Yes! you only have to change 10% of the water at a time.

Answer 6

ok if you want to clean a tank the right way.
you have to take out everything and clean it top to bottom.
everything.
then make sure everything dries and then fill the tank back up.

after you do that.
put the fish in at least 1hour later.
and if you want to put in your water cleaner stuff.
do it as soon as you fill up the tank .
put in a tablespoon
if yu have any questions e mail me

Answer 7

Get a real pet!!!!!!!!!!!!!