How Do I Clean My Tank

[*blacksnapemoor*]

right ive had an oranda and a blackmoor for about a month thay seem to be okim doing a full water change evry week which i no is a lil much am saving up for testers (need some1 to explain them) an a vacume thing aslso need exspaining to me lol the tank is preatty clean an i want a cleaner fish or tow preferbaly not a digger one as i have gravel an dont want them gettin injured lol also i have been gettin my fish out of my tank with a cup an thats difficut but am guessin i wont be able to do that with a cleaner should i invest in a net?

any comments welcome

thanks in advance

amanda

 

[*blacksnapemoor*]

sorry i posted it in the wrong place sorry

 

[fourthtimelucky]

Have a look at the pinned topic at the top on weekly maintenance, that should answer your questions.
Good luck.

 

[*blacksnapemoor*]

thanks but i do want cleaner fish there cool whats the best type

 

[madgap]

Your post is a little vague.
A cleaner fish?
What is that? A fish that washes behind the gills or a fish that helps clean your tank?
Also, you do a full water change? Like, completely new water?

Amanda, might I suggest you don't catch your fish any more. And only do a partial change every few days.
This way you're well on your way to being a true aqua warrior

 

[shang hi]

right ive had an oranda and a blackmoor for about a month thay seem to be okim doing a full water change evry week which i no is a lil much am saving up for testers (need some1 to explain them) an a vacume thing aslso need exspaining to me lol the tank is preatty clean an i want a cleaner fish or tow preferbaly not a digger one as i have gravel an dont want them gettin injured lol also i have been gettin my fish out of my tank with a cup an thats difficut but am guessin i wont be able to do that with a cleaner should i invest in a net?

any comments welcome

thanks in advance

amanda

firstly, is your tank tropical or coldwater, i know blackmoors are coldwater, but i've never heard of the other fish. now to testing kits, basic kits have PH, High Range PH, Ammonia, NirtIte and NirtAte
PH is a measure of your waters acidity or Alkilinity as is high range PH test
Ammonia tests test for the presence of Toxic ammonia which fish produce in waste
NitrIte is also toxic and the test test for that (state the obvious )
NitrAte is non toxic normaly (in high quantities it is toxic)

im curently unaware of what the more sufisticated kits do, ill look it up for you.

is your tank cycled, you filter ahould have a place for media this colonises benificial bacteria (used to convert Ammonia into NirtIte into NitrAte) never wash your filter in tap water, this kills all the bacteria on it, wash it in old tank water to avoid killing all the bacteria.

a vacume? i presume u mean a gravel vac, this is used the remove debrie off the substrate (gravel) helping to keep the tank healthy, they can also be used to remove water in water changes.

hope this helped is not just say and ill try to help.

shang hi

 

[*blacksnapemoor*]

thanks fan ne1 give me a link for a python vac thaks

 

[madgap]

http/www.fishandfins.co.uk/misc.htm

Maybe someone could take you to the pet shop to get the right size vac for your aquarium?

Good luck, Amanda.

 

[*blacksnapemoor*]

yey always wanted to b a aqua warria woohoo lol

oh ye an a cleaner fish to help clean tank whats a gill cleaning fish

 

[Imber]

What size is your tank? Honestly, I wouldn't recommend getting a "cleaner" fish like a pleco because they add a lot to the bioload and have special needs of their own. They aren't the magical remedy to a spotless tank. Also, common plecs get way too big and will harass your goldfish. If you do decide to get one be sure it's a small breed like a rubberlip or bristlenose and do your research on their special needs. Apple snails are also successfully kept with goldfish. In my opinion the best way to keep your tank clean is with a gravel vacuum, algae scrubber and good old fashioned water changes.

 

[arvlyn]

What size is your tank? Honestly, I wouldn't recommend getting a "cleaner" fish like a pleco because they add a lot to the bioload and have special needs of their own. They aren't the magical remedy to a spotless tank. Also, common plecs get way too big and will harass your goldfish. If you do decide to get one be sure it's a small breed like a rubberlip or bristlenose and do your research on their special needs. Apple snails are also successfully kept with goldfish. In my opinion the best way to keep your tank clean is with a gravel vacuum, algae scrubber and good old fashioned water changes.

Plecos are tropical fish and wouldn't be happy in a coldwater goldfish tank.

Same with apple snails. They don't thrive in less than 65°F.

 

[*blacksnapemoor*]

ok is therwe any cleaner fish i can get an what r there needs i juat really like them an am soon to get a latger tank errr coz i no thay suck things how do you clean with a gravel vac or water change etc with a sucker fish without hurting the

 

[Imber]

What size is your tank? Honestly, I wouldn't recommend getting a "cleaner" fish like a pleco because they add a lot to the bioload and have special needs of their own. They aren't the magical remedy to a spotless tank. Also, common plecs get way too big and will harass your goldfish. If you do decide to get one be sure it's a small breed like a rubberlip or bristlenose and do your research on their special needs. Apple snails are also successfully kept with goldfish. In my opinion the best way to keep your tank clean is with a gravel vacuum, algae scrubber and good old fashioned water changes.

Plecos are tropical fish and wouldn't be happy in a coldwater goldfish tank.

Same with apple snails. They don't thrive in less than 65°F.

You're right, sorry I should have mentioned the temperature needs. Personally my tank rarely goes below 70 so it didn't occur to me. I have heard of success stories with goldies and these fish though in temperature regulated tanks.

 

[arvlyn]

Plecos are tropical fish and wouldn't be happy in a coldwater goldfish tank.

Same with apple snails. They don't thrive in less than 65°F.

You're right, sorry I should have mentioned the temperature needs. Personally my tank rarely goes below 70 so it didn't occur to me. I have heard of success stories with goldies and these fish though in temperature regulated tanks.

I only learned that fact about the apple snails yesterday. I bought 2 to go in my goldfish tank then wondered why they didn't move the entire day. Did a ton of reading, found out they need warm temperatures, moved them to my tropical tanks and they haven't stopped moving yet.

 

[madgap]

If a pleco should suck up muck, thus, cleaning your Tank, Amanda. It will also needs the toilet. They are not as clean as you have been lead to believe. However, a vacume/syphon cleaner for your tank will be brilliant. If you suck out some water from the bottom of the tank with one, where the fishies waste will fall to. Then it sucks out, into a bucket. All you need to do then is fill the tank back up. Without even touching the fish or moving the tank.