Sand cleanliness after 3 days away

[Elena82x]

Hi
I went away Friday morning leaving my husband with simple feeding instructions only, and have come back to the sand absolutely filthy. The tank isn't overstocked and I'd done a 75% water change before going and a thorough substrate clean.
Is this normal or does it suggest the filter is ineffective? (The filter is good I think, it's the juwel M bio filter that came with the juwel 240 tank - just thinking that maybe I need to clean it more, I've not cleaned sponges a lot so far as it's a newly cycled tank and I've wanted to grow the bacteria so only done a couple)

 

[Bad Raven]

Sounds like you need a new husband, not a new filter.

 

[Elena82x]

Sounds like you need a new husband, not a new filter.

Ha ha you're not wrong!! I can't trust him with it cos he is too focused on his work and doesn't concentrate at the moment hence not giving him any maintenance instructions just feeding.. Do you think he's overfed them hence the tonne of poop or should the filter have dealt with that?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Ha ha you're not wrong!! I can't trust him with it cos he is too focused on his work and doesn't concentrate at the moment hence not giving him any maintenance instructions just feeding.. Do you think he's overfed them hence the tonne of poop or should the filter have dealt with that?

Overfed/in need of better maintenance...how often do you perform WC's, and vac the sand?

For future reference, fish can go a weekend or more w/out eating...a full week, easily...next time you will be away, hide the fish food from hubby

 

[Elena82x]

Overfed/in need of better maintenance...how often do you perform WC's, and vac the sand?

For future reference, fish can go a weekend or more w/out eating...a full week, easily...next time you will be away, hide the fish food from hubby

That's you good to know, I will do thanks! I know he's over fed cos the fry box is coated with sunken fry powder.
I've been doing a lot of water changes with it being a new tank and to keep nitrates low, so 50% every 2 or 3 days I'd say on average, and cleaning the sand about once a week thorough or ad hoc where it looks grubby, and it's not reached this bad. So it must be the over feeding. Though I think I need to improve my filter cleaning as I've left that alone quite a lot to build up bacteria.

 

[Slaphppy7]

You need to do WC's not only for nitrates, because excess feeding = rotting food = ammonia

What kind of test kit are you using? Which water conditioner?

You can clean the filter housing in hot tap water...generally speaking, filters usually need cleaning once a month...but DO NOT clean your filter media in tap water, use old tank water to rinse it, instead

 

[Elena82x]

You need to do WC's not only for nitrates, because excess feeding = rotting food = ammonia

What kind of test kit are you using? Which water conditioner?

You can clean the filter housing in hot tap water...generally speaking, filters usually need cleaning once a month...but DO NOT clean your filter media in tap water, use old tank water to rinse it, instead

Ok thank you.
I've got API test kits. I just checked when I got home earlier and it was 0 ammonia and nitrite, about 10 nitrate. I've cleaned up the dirt from the sand and based on my test numbers would probably do a fairly large water change tomorrow.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Ok thank you.
I've got API test kits. I just checked when I got home earlier and it was 0 ammonia and nitrite, about 10 nitrate. I've cleaned up the dirt from the sand and based on my test numbers would probably do a fairly large water change tomorrow.

If you are using the API liquid test kit, and you have 0 ammonia, 0 trItes, and 10 trAtes, you're in good shape

Do get into the habit of weekly WC's, and monthly filter cleaning, and all should be well...as long as you hide that food, lol

 

[Elena82x]

If you are using the API liquid test kit, and you have 0 ammonia, 0 trItes, and 10 trAtes, you're in good shape

Do get into the habit of weekly WC's, and monthly filter cleaning, and all should be well...as long as you hide that food, lol

thanks yes I definitely will! It's the same in our kitchen actually

 

[sharkweek178]

I've had people feed my fish while I'm out. But I always leave them pre-measured portions to give the fish. That way they aren't overfeeding.

 

[Bad Raven]

Over the many years I have kept fish (1980 on) after a brief and troublesome dalliance with a rotating hopper auto feeder, if I have been away for up to 7/8 days I have done nothing. No adverse reactions from any fish. If away longer, and that is not common for us, I have used the white coloured pyramidal shape holiday food blocks, again with no adverse reactions or losses............ other than white poo from the Plecs till removed again..............

And......... I usually work with one day a week that I do not feed.

Fish have always been fully fleshed, healthy shape, and active. Those of a known nervous disposition (dwarf gourami, etc) may go several days after introduction, and can look undernourished after the transport trauma, but quickly recover on this 6 out of 7 day once a day feeding.

This works for me, YMMV.

Very easy to over feed, especially if new to fish keeping in tanks.

 

[Elena82x]

Over the many years I have kept fish (1980 on) after a brief and troublesome dalliance with a rotating hopper auto feeder, if I have been away for up to 7/8 days I have done nothing. No adverse reactions from any fish. If away longer, and that is not common for us, I have used the white coloured pyramidal shape holiday food blocks, again with no adverse reactions or losses............ other than white poo from the Plecs till removed again..............

And......... I usually work with one day a week that I do not feed.

Fish have always been fully fleshed, healthy shape, and active. Those of a known nervous disposition (dwarf gourami, etc) may go several days after introduction, and can look undernourished after the transport trauma, but quickly recover on this 6 out of 7 day once a day feeding.

This works for me, YMMV.

Very easy to over feed, especially if new to fish keeping in tanks.

Thank you that's really interesting. The temptation to over feed is definitely there though I don't usually.. Having a fry box and feeding them regularly I feel like I'm taunting the others if I don't pop a bit in for them too which is probably nonsense. It's good to know how little they can be fed and still be okay cos the tank will definitely benefit from that.