Vac clean gravel and glass scrape once a week.
Big clean
How do you clean your 55g and up, aquarium?
How?
How often?
Etc
I'm asking because I would love to have large tank in the office.
How?
How often?
Etc
I'm asking because I would love to have large tank in the office.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
Do you carry buckets of water?Vac clean gravel and glass scrape once a week.
No different than a smaller tank--just takes longer.
Weekly: Spot check all the equipment to make sure nothing's visibly in need of care, do any trimming and pull out excess dead plant material during clean up, rinse intake caps/sponges, scrape the glass (if needed), gravel vac with the wc and then wipe down the light covers and finally the outside glass surfaces to get waterspots off. Clean and store cleaning supplies (siphon, water jugs, etc).
Every two weeks I clean one of my two filters, usually in conjunction with the wc: rinse filter media/change out micro-filtering cloth as needed, visually inspect all parts.
Once a month I go thru my supplies and check to see if I need to pick up or replace anything, make a note of any plants or equipment I have a list of everything I might want when I make the trek to the nearest LFS or hit the computer to place an order. Sucks to drive two hours or complete an online order (argh, the shipping fees!) only to realize you forgot to get that last damned thing.
Weekly: Spot check all the equipment to make sure nothing's visibly in need of care, do any trimming and pull out excess dead plant material during clean up, rinse intake caps/sponges, scrape the glass (if needed), gravel vac with the wc and then wipe down the light covers and finally the outside glass surfaces to get waterspots off. Clean and store cleaning supplies (siphon, water jugs, etc).
Every two weeks I clean one of my two filters, usually in conjunction with the wc: rinse filter media/change out micro-filtering cloth as needed, visually inspect all parts.
Once a month I go thru my supplies and check to see if I need to pick up or replace anything, make a note of any plants or equipment I have a list of everything I might want when I make the trek to the nearest LFS or hit the computer to place an order. Sucks to drive two hours or complete an online order (argh, the shipping fees!) only to realize you forgot to get that last damned thing.
A bit more then a month ago I got my 1st canister filter. I still did not clean anything in it. Any tips?
Do you carry buckets of water?
Check out my signature, I used to carry buckets until I went from a 20 to a 72. Once there I knew the bucket days were over.
I would take out all the media and rinse it in a bucket of tank water and plop it back in the filter and good to go. The only thing I actually replace in my filter is the filter floss. I would rather start out with new than have it release some back in the tank when I start the filter back up.A bit more then a month ago I got my 1st canister filter. I still did not clean anything in it. Any tips?
No bucket carrying. (well, not if they are full. I will carry an empty bucket that has only the siphon in it)
a) Python/Lee's Ultimate Gravel Vac/DIY Waterbed fill kit.
b) Rubbermaid garbage can on wheels with a fountain pump.
You can use a) or b) for both dirty water (empty the tank) and clean (fill the tank), but I do it a bit differently.
I use a siphon into 5 gallon bucket to drain the tank, drain enough water into it so I can clean the filter media, and vacuum the floor of the tank, and turn on the fountain pump in the bucket, connected to a hose that goes outside, to empty the bucket as often as needed (several times for the larger tanks). I bought an extension cord that has an on/off button that I can step on to activate. I found it at Wal Mart, and tried it. I like it so well I now have about 3 of them (or is it 4?).
I refill the tank with water that I have previously set up in the Rubbermaid can. It has dechlor, any minerals or peat moss (depends on the tank) and whatever else is needed, and is the right temperature. The fountain pump with a bit of vinyl tubing lifts the water into the tank.
Rubbermaid Brutes come in several sizes, with lids and the castors are sold separately. They work great on lino or hardwood, not so great on carpet. Not too bad in a low, dense pile indoor/outdoor sort of carpet. Be careful rolling them around. The lid is not water tight, and will leak if the water sloshes. And it will. Better to get the larger can and not fill it more than about 3/4 full.
As for the work I do in cleaning the tank: I usually rotate jobs, so that one day might be filter cleaning, another day might be scraping the glass (with the siphon hovering close to remove the loosened algae) and another day might be to concentrate on a more thorough gravel vac. I do not actually plunge the siphon deep into the planting substrate, but on the 'more thorough' day I will work pretty hard at getting into all the corners and doing my best to clean under the decorations.
Volume of water change is almost never less than 25% and 50% is more common, partially because it just takes that much water change to to do the cleaning I want to do.
a) Python/Lee's Ultimate Gravel Vac/DIY Waterbed fill kit.
b) Rubbermaid garbage can on wheels with a fountain pump.
You can use a) or b) for both dirty water (empty the tank) and clean (fill the tank), but I do it a bit differently.
I use a siphon into 5 gallon bucket to drain the tank, drain enough water into it so I can clean the filter media, and vacuum the floor of the tank, and turn on the fountain pump in the bucket, connected to a hose that goes outside, to empty the bucket as often as needed (several times for the larger tanks). I bought an extension cord that has an on/off button that I can step on to activate. I found it at Wal Mart, and tried it. I like it so well I now have about 3 of them (or is it 4?).
I refill the tank with water that I have previously set up in the Rubbermaid can. It has dechlor, any minerals or peat moss (depends on the tank) and whatever else is needed, and is the right temperature. The fountain pump with a bit of vinyl tubing lifts the water into the tank.
Rubbermaid Brutes come in several sizes, with lids and the castors are sold separately. They work great on lino or hardwood, not so great on carpet. Not too bad in a low, dense pile indoor/outdoor sort of carpet. Be careful rolling them around. The lid is not water tight, and will leak if the water sloshes. And it will. Better to get the larger can and not fill it more than about 3/4 full.
As for the work I do in cleaning the tank: I usually rotate jobs, so that one day might be filter cleaning, another day might be scraping the glass (with the siphon hovering close to remove the loosened algae) and another day might be to concentrate on a more thorough gravel vac. I do not actually plunge the siphon deep into the planting substrate, but on the 'more thorough' day I will work pretty hard at getting into all the corners and doing my best to clean under the decorations.
Volume of water change is almost never less than 25% and 50% is more common, partially because it just takes that much water change to to do the cleaning I want to do.
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
The Planted Tank Forum
A forum community dedicated to Aquatic tank owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about flora, fauna, health, housing, filters, care, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Recommended Communities
