I think something is wrong with my silvertip

[elephantnose3334]

The following link shows you how to use a gravel cleaner. Around 3 minutes 10 seconds is where he does a good demonstration of how to use it.

I have a Fluval gravel vac. So the gravel-vac will look different from the one from the video you embedded.

 

[Colin_T]

Gravel vacuum and gravel cleaners are normally slightly different. You want a basic gravel cleaner like the one in the video. You don't want any of the fancy stuff like on the Fluval, just a nice basic model like in the video. The Fluval one is not a good model to get. Fluval needs to stop screwing things up and go back to basic like they had in the 80s and 90s.

 

[elephantnose3334]

Gravel vacuum and gravel cleaners are normally slightly different. You want a basic gravel cleaner like the one in the video. You don't want any of the fancy stuff like on the Fluval, just a nice basic model like in the video. The Fluval one is not a good model to get. Fluval needs to stop screwing things up and go back to basic like they had in the 80s and 90s.

I see. I like the ones that have the flow indicator, not the one where you have to pinch the hose.

 

[Colin_T]

The more components in anything, the more things that can go wrong. A basic model gravel cleaner will last for years and there is nothing in it that can go wrong. You might step on the gravel cleaner tube and break it but there is nothing that can malfunction on a basic model type.

Don't buy into the hype of more is better. There is a lot of extra stuff on filters and lights that doesn't really need to be there. Gravel cleaners are a simple and reliable design, you don't need a fancy one to do the job.

 

[Essjay]

I don't know some things such as a full-clean because the tank, when empty, is really heavy to carry from my own two hands. Dad usually do the full clean, but only once a year.

I agree with MaloK. The tank should not be emptied and washed out. The tank just needs to have the substrate 'cleaned'. I have sand and I just use the siphon tube to suck the muck up from the surface of the sand. With gravel, the bits fall down between the particles and they are sucked out by pushing the siphon tube down into the gravel. I assume you take the fish out before the tank is cleaned? This is very stressful for fish, they should be left in the tank during a water change.

If you get your bigger tank, you'll have to clean it that way as so start practicing now on this one

 

[elephantnose3334]

The more components in anything, the more things that can go wrong. A basic model gravel cleaner will last for years and there is nothing in it that can go wrong. You might step on the gravel cleaner tube and break it but there is nothing that can malfunction on a basic model type.

Don't buy into the hype of more is better. There is a lot of extra stuff on filters and lights that doesn't really need to be there. Gravel cleaners are a simple and reliable design, you don't need a fancy one to do the job.

Okay. It does have a few components. Here is the gravel vac I have:

Fluval Gravel Vac Substrate Cleaner - Medium/large

Effectively traps dirt and debris Easy Start siphon for quick priming – starts with just a couple of pumps Thumb-operated flow regulator allows you adjust speed as you clean Gravel guard prevents clogging Tube extension included for larger tanks and hard to reach areas Suitable for all...

www.natureaquariums.com.au

 

[elephantnose3334]

I agree with MaloK. The tank should not be emptied and washed out. The tank just needs to have the substrate 'cleaned'. I have sand and I just use the siphon tube to suck the muck up from the surface of the sand. With gravel, the bits fall down between the particles and they are sucked out by pushing the siphon tube down into the gravel. I assume you take the fish out before the tank is cleaned? This is very stressful for fish, they should be left in the tank during a water change.

If you get your bigger tank, you'll have to clean it that way as so start practicing now on this one

I think dad put the fish temporally in a bucket when the tank was hosed out on Dec 12. I will tell dad not to do full cleans ever again.

 

[MattW]

Off-topic question - With water changes are you using a bucket to hold the old tank water? I invested in a Seachem Hydrotote 10L and it made my life much easier. It's a plastic jerry can that can be folded away after use. IMO it is better for water changes as it has a screwable cap so theirs no chance of water spillage when carrying. If you could find something similar it may help with water changes. I currently have two tanks set up so I do a 10L water change on my 60L and a 5L on my 30L fry tank every week. The two tanks are on the top floor of my house so it is 3 flights of stairs back and forth. When I used a bucket I will admit a couple of occasions where water was spilled on the way down but I've not had that happen since I got the hydrotote.

(They also make a 20L version)

Seachem HydroTote 10L collapsible water bottle

Seachem HydroTote a 10l collapsible water bottle perfect for customers that get their saltwater, RO water, or DI water at their local fish store.

seachem.co.uk

Also sorry to hear about the silvertip

 

[elephantnose3334]

Off-topic question - With water changes are you using a bucket to hold the old tank water? I invested in a Seachem Hydrotote 10L and it made my life much easier. It's a plastic jerry can that can be folded away after use. IMO it is better for water changes as it has a screwable cap so theirs no chance of water spillage when carrying. If you could find something similar it may help with water changes. I currently have two tanks set up so I do a 10L water change on my 60L and a 5L on my 30L fry tank every week. The two tanks are on the top floor of my house so it is 3 flights of stairs back and forth. When I used a bucket I will admit a couple of occasions where water was spilled on the way down but I've not had that happen since I got the hydrotote.

(They also make a 20L version)

Seachem HydroTote 10L collapsible water bottle

Seachem HydroTote a 10l collapsible water bottle perfect for customers that get their saltwater, RO water, or DI water at their local fish store.

seachem.co.uk

Also sorry to hear about the silvertip

Yes I use an old bucket to hold old tank water.

 

[GaryE]

With your overstocked tank, you should do water changes, even 20%, every week. All you need is a cup and a bucket. If carrying the full bucket is difficult, carry a half full one and make more trips to dump it out.
A 20% change on a 10 gallon is 16 pounds of water. You could do do three 1 gallon, 8 pound trips to the place where you dump the water. Scoop it out if a siphon is a problem.
Refill the same way.
Do a gravel vacuum once a month.

Changing the water yesterday probably wouldn't have saved the silvertip. Changing it every week for the past 3 weeks might have.

It's a problem that needs a solution. You say you want a larger tank, but if you can't maintain it, it becomes an unwelcome chore for your parents. It's not fair to expect them to do the work if it's your project.

 

[elephantnose3334]

With your overstocked tank, you should do water changes, even 20%, every week. All you need is a cup and a bucket. If carrying the full bucket is difficult, carry a half full one and make more trips to dump it out.
A 20% change on a 10 gallon is 16 pounds of water. You could do do three 1 gallon, 8 pound trips to the place where you dump the water. Scoop it out if a siphon is a problem.
Refill the same way.
Do a gravel vacuum once a month.

Changing the water yesterday probably wouldn't have saved the silvertip. Changing it every week for the past 3 weeks might have.

It's a problem that needs a solution. You say you want a larger tank, but if you can't maintain it, it becomes an unwelcome chore for your parents. It's not fair to expect them to do the work if it's your project.

I understand. I made some mistakes on the way, and now I have to deal with it because I was a beginner.

 

[Mikeyboy123]

Okay. It does have a few components. Here is the gravel vac I have:

Fluval Gravel Vac Substrate Cleaner - Medium/large

Effectively traps dirt and debris Easy Start siphon for quick priming – starts with just a couple of pumps Thumb-operated flow regulator allows you adjust speed as you clean Gravel guard prevents clogging Tube extension included for larger tanks and hard to reach areas Suitable for all...

www.natureaquariums.com.au

I have the same gravel vac. It is a decent one I would say. You've got the pump on the hose to start the siphon and then you've got a flow regulator at the top. It comes apart so that you can clean the coarse sieve at the top of the tube if it gets blocked up detritus/leaves etc. You want to adjust the flow regulator so that the gravel is sucked up a little into the tube and tumbles in there, but then falls back out once you lift the tube up slightly off the grave surface.

 

[Essjay]

This may be a silly question but......


When you've been doing a water change, you and your father empty all the old tank water into the bucket along with the fish, then carry the tank away and wash it out. Yes?
What happens then? Do you put some of the old water back in and add some new water to make the amount back up? Do you use all new water? Or do you put all the old water back in?

 

[elephantnose3334]

This may be a silly question but......


When you've been doing a water change, you and your father empty all the old tank water into the bucket along with the fish, then carry the tank away and wash it out. Yes?
What happens then? Do you put some of the old water back in and add some new water to make the amount back up? Do you use all new water? Or do you put all the old water back in?

My dad emptied out the tank, hosed it outside, while the fish were temporarily in the bucket of old tank water inside. I was keeping an eye on them during the time when dad hosed the now-empty tank. Dad threw out the first half of the old water into the backyard, and the second half was kept in the bucket for temporary use. We carefully netted the fish. into the bucket of old water when the tank was 80-85% empty. After he hosed it and the filter sponges, and washed the decor indoors with a sink and left to dry and substrate outdoors in a bucket, the tank was dried with a normal cloth, it was filled with new water first, then when it almost reached the maximum water level, the old water was back in along with the fish. Same with my younger sister's 10 gallon.

 

[Essjay]

That's good, about the water that is. I was getting a bit confused about whether all the old water was thrown away or perhaps all the old water was put back.


Hosing down everything - tank, filter, decor - would remove a lot of the biofilm where the bacteria live. Depending on the force of the water and whether or not your father scrubs them as well, there should be some biofilm still there afterwards but it's best not to clean a tank like that. All that's needed is some of the water being removed and replaced with clean; debris (fish poop, uneaten food etc) removed with the siphon tube; the filter media being washed in old tank water when the brown goo builds up too much; and the front glass wiped clear with a fish-only sponge or something like that so you can see the fish better. When a tank has a lot of live plants you don't even need to remove the debris.

It sounds like your father treats the tank the way people treated their goldfish bowls way back.