Recent content by metulburr

Is it normal to have a lot of water evaporation? I have a 30 gallon tank as well as a 5 gallon tank. I change out 30% of the water once a month.   By the end of the month in the 5 gallon tank, 20% of water is already gone due to evaporation. I take out 10% more and fill it to complete my water...

yes. such a simple solution is relieving. I just have to remember to weekly clean the light lid. 

we found the problem. There was no algae growing anywhere in the tank but on the clear plastic for the light. We just wiped that clear plastic off, which had a thick layer of algae in the middle, and after that the tint was gone. 

My wife noticed our tank water was tinting green. I couldnt really notice it until she mentioned it. So i did a 75% water change, and took out ALL of the fake plants, as well as ALL of the decorations and scrubbed the algae off of them. After that the water looked good.   However a week and half...

So i have sand bottom. I can see the poop build up at the bottom. I tried using both large and small vacuums and they suck both the poop and sand up. Mostly though the sand comes up faster than the poop. So i am not sure how to clean sand without removing sand?

Thanks. I didnt even think of that. 

Yeah but i prolly went through a ungodly amount of water having the faucet on halfway for about 6 hours. But it looks great. Another question... If i was to kick up some sand accidently when the fish are in it. To the point where it is cloudy and hard to see them. What should you do? Is that...

It seems letting the sand sit; and having a hose to the toilet to drain and hose from the faucet to fill....makes the water almost clear in about 30-60 minutes. I let it sit to get clear, then i put all my plants and other stuff back into the tank. I stirred it up a little but not too much. I...

  I have a stick that i have been using to "stir" it.  Id i poke the stick down all the way and move it quickly through the sand. It will kick up sand. However that sand drops pretty quickly. However there is a small amount of dust that does not drop and stay up. The dust cloud settle within a...

Yeah i have the removal hose about a couple inches from the top. When agitate the sand, about 90% of it drops like a rock, the rest of it lifts up like a dust cloud in the wind. Every so often i stir it for a good 5 minutes and it will turn pitch brown (the entire water).    So my biggest...

OK so what i did was stick one hose in and suction the water out. It is going into the toilet. At the same speed i hooked another hose up to the faucet and put it into the sand tank. And turned off the filter.    I can see a massive cloud of dirt come up when i agitate the water. I am assuming i...

I have already put the water in with the sand 100%. Just poured buckets in and let it cloud up. I also did NOT wash it. I didnt know i was suppose to. Do i have to take the water out and wash it or is it possible to let it settle without washing it?

So it will NEVER settle?   I did that, but there is already sand through the entire filtration system. Should i go rinse out the sand or leave it?    EDIT: Should i take the filter out to help let it settle? It would seem plausible that moving the water around would only make this process...

I am in the process of switching to sand from gravel.    1) I moved the fish into the temp tank as well as one of the filters and heater   2) i left one filter in the sand tank   3) poured about 2 inches of sand across the tank, and filled it with fresh water   3) the water is dark and chocolate...

Can i buy the large grilling charcoal bags, and just crush them into shards with my own homemade fitler media surrounding it? Instead of buying the carbon from the store?