CLEANING ADVICE

[nagus]

I've had my tank up and running for about 3 months now, but i'm still suffering from cloudy water, and i'm not sure if i'm causing it or not!

At the moment i have been cleaning the bottom every day, how often should i be cleaning the sand, i dont mean stiring it up, but just hoovering across the top, sucking up fish poop and stuff. I've also read that the sand should be stired up occasionally (if so how often) I've also noticed tiny little air bubbles in the sand against the glass, is this normal?.

Just one more thing (sorry too many questions) in a certain area of the tank i seem to get a covering of green algea, and although i can take a small layer of sand off the bottom with the hoover, within a day or so it always grows back. To get rid of it completely is it best to take as much sand out as possible and replace with new! Incidentley i don't have too much of an algae problem anywhere else.

Any suggestions . . . Anybody

 

[thecichlidaddict]

how often should i be cleaning the sand, i dont mean stiring it up, but just hoovering across the top, sucking up fish poop and stuff

Weekly is usually adequate, but it really depends on how long it takes for the mess to build up. Every day is excessive, but you want to do it often enough that the fish get used to it and it becomes routine for them (no stress).

I've also read that the sand should be stired up occasionally (if so how often) I've also noticed tiny little air bubbles in the sand against the glass, is this normal?.

It's a good idea to stir up the sand every now and then. It prevents algae build-up and aerates it. Every couple of weeks is plenty. Snails are a natural way of aerating the sand, and will help with the aglae too.

The bubbles are just trapped air, nothing to worry about.