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If I have a water filter in it already do I still have to clean it? Cause the algae eater would take care of the algae and the water filter would take care of the dirty water... What about a gravel filter?? Anyways, I would love to have a fish tank but I don't have time to clean it or the money to hire someone to!

2007-07-16 09:23:26 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets Fish

16 answers

Yes, you still should do a partial water change and vacuum the gravel once every week or two. Maybe you can go longer if you're faithful about not over-feeding and test your water quality religiously.
It's really a quick and easy process. You need two five-gallon buckets, available from any home improvement store, or most super centers. Use a permanent marker to mark one "Dirty" and one "Clean." Buy a gravel vacuum. The salesperson at any good fish store can help you select an easy to use, and effective one.
When you set up your aquarium, make the gravel higher in the back and on the sides, and sloping down towards the front and center. Get a feeding ring and attach right above this low spot in the center-front. This will keep the fish food from floating all over and settling in hard to get at areas. Use artificial plants for easier maintenance than live ones, and decorate your tank sparingly. You need some plants and/or decorations for your fish to hide and sleep in, and to hide your equipment, but you don't need every inch of the bottom covered with vegetation. That just makes more work. Use some tall plants toward the back to hide tubes, heaters, whatever, and some shorter ones around the sides. With an attractive background, you can get away with even less.
With your aquarium properly set up, you should only have to focus on vacuuming your gravel mostly in the front and center area below your feeding ring. Use the gravel vacuum according to directions, with it emptying into your dirty bucket. When you are finished, and your bucket is almost full, clean your vacuum, and empty the dirty water down a drain or your stool, or use it to water plants, they love it! You should have filled your clean bucket with fresh water the night before and added an aquarium conditioner (such as Start Right) to it. You can now re-fill your aquarium with this clean water. If you have less than a 20 gallon tank, you can use 2 or 3 gallon pails, instead of 5 gallon buckets. You only need to change 10-20% of your water each time. Change your filter material if needed, and use a long-handled aquarium scrubber on any algae your algae eater may have missed, and you're done! Once you get used to using the gravel vacuum, the whole process should only take maybe 10-15 minutes (providing you don't have a humongous tank)!
Your daily upkeep couldn't be easier, too! Make sure your equipment is all functioning properly, make sure fish are all healthy looking (and accounted for!), and feed them twice a day, using the feeding ring, no more than what they can eat in under 5 minutes. A fishes stomach is the size of it's eye, if that gives you an idea. A tiny pinch is all you need for most aquaiums. Don't neglect your bottom feeders, either. A tiny sinking pellet or wafer, or two will take care of them. Once you get more experienced, this daily ritual will only take one or two minutes. A hobby doesn't get much less demanding than that!
Read up on aquarium and fish care for more in depth understanding of how to properly care for and maintain a community tank, before you make the decision to get one. Any good library, book store, or pet store, sometimes even the pet department of your super center will have a good comprehensive book or two on the subject. Consider it your "light reading" for a few days. Browse a few different books if you can, different ones will emphasize different aspects of the hobby. Then you will be armed with sufficient knowledge to decide whether this is something you want to pursue or not.
If you are undecided, read some more, or get your feet wet (figuratively speaking) with a mini-aquarium. Everything is scaled down to a manageable 5 gallon, or 2½ gallon size. I'd recommend 5 gallons, as they are more like "real" aquariums than the 2½ gallon size. If you decide to upgrade later, this mini tank can become your quarantine tank for new or sick fishies. It's a good way to try the hobby without a huge committment of time or money.
Sorry my answer is so long, but this is a little too complex to fully explain in a few sentences! To summarize, first read, then experiment with a small tank. Then decide if you have the time and innitiative to want to upgrade. It's a very rewarding hobby with a small time committment, if you can make the time to educate yourself! Good luck!

2007-07-16 10:23:53 · answer #1 · answered by baymast13 7 · 0 0

Pleco's grow to about 16 inches and do NOT grow to the size of their enviroment. You can find somewhat smaller varieties but all are generally too big for a 10g tank. You COULD attempt to get Dwarf Oto's but they require a very mature tank and often die due to pet shop conditions. However even if you keep them alive they'll eat far less algae then you'd imagine. No algae eater eats all types of algae nor will they eat only algae. Most people feed their plecos and other such scavengers veggies to supplement what they do graze. The most effective algae cleaning critter is you. Algae needs two things to grow, nutrients and light. As long as you don't over feed your fish and only turn your lights on to view your fish you should be perfectly fine. You still might get some algae, but it won't be anything a little bit of algae scrubbing pad can't handle. Another tactic is to add live plants. Live plants will soak up the same nutrients and light and generally out compete the algae. If you still want a scavenger that deals with the occasional algae you can probably get away with a single mystery snail or a small group of red cherry or ghost shrimp. They will mostly eat the algae bits they like along with a share of fish food but will require a bit of scavenger food on the side too. However unless you REALLY want some more critters I wouldn't suggest adding more animals. You're pretty close to about how many fish you should have now and adding more animals will simply make any potential algae problem worse in addition to the other problems of overstocking. This is even before you consider that "algae eaters" are really scavengers and produce a lot more waste then other similar size animals.

2016-05-19 04:14:02 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0 0

Yes. The algae eater will reduce the algae in your tank, but the water still has to be changed to get rid of the fish's waste. Plus fish need fresh water anyways. The filter will not do all of this for you.

2007-07-16 09:40:40 · answer #3 · answered by rebleb828 2 · 0 0

No matter what fish you have and no matter what filtration you need to clean the tank on a regular basis. I suggest a gravel siphon and use it to clean the gravel as you change about 1/4 of the water once a week. It really doesn't take very long and your fish will be very glad of it!

If you want an algae eating fish, please do not get a Chinese algae eater, they don't do a good job of eating aglae and get really mean.

BTW, no fish will eat dirt or waste from the tank.

MM

2007-07-16 09:32:52 · answer #4 · answered by magicman116 7 · 2 0

Algae eaters, despite their name, seem to want to eat more of the leftover food that falls to the bottom rather than the algae. They will eat some as they hang out on the glass, but don't count on them to keep a spotless tank. If you don't want to clean out the algae, consider getting mollies. They like slightly brackish water and the best thing about them is that they love heavily algae laden tanks. They eat algae like its candy. But, that said, there is a lot of care in many other matters besides just algae, such as water changes and substrate cleaning to maintain healthy water quality, knowing how to test the water and testing regularly, being able to identify and treat diseases, filter cleaning and replacement, etc., so, if you aren't willing to devote the time necessary to clean an aquarium, you aren't ready to have fish.

2007-07-16 09:42:32 · answer #5 · answered by Venice Girl 6 · 1 0

Yes. The algae eater will simply help some with the scummy stuff on the inside of the glass. Gravel gets filthy. Undergravel filters help, but regular partial water changes, and gravel cleaning is key!

2007-07-16 09:27:42 · answer #6 · answered by Lisare618 2 · 1 1

Yes, you still have to do water changes and gravel vac.That is the key to keeping a healthy tank and fish,its not as hard or time consuming as you my think.You just need to pick a day every week and just do it,you will get in the habit of it.

2007-07-16 11:05:49 · answer #7 · answered by Stephanie331 - 2 · 0 0

Yes you still have to do 25% weekly water change whist cleaning the gravel, The ammonia builds up and poisioings, and then kills your fish, so yes you do still have to clean it.

Healthy water is the key to succesful fish keeping! - Because water is crystal clear doesnt meen its clean or safe for fish.!

2007-07-16 09:29:16 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

Yes. They just keep algea from forming on the sides. Gravel filter will help but it still bust be cleaned.

2007-07-16 09:27:52 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

yes you still have to clean it. the algae eater only gets algae.

2007-07-16 09:34:24 · answer #10 · answered by Krissy 2 · 0 0

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