How Do I Clean The Bottom Of My Tank?

[Angel98]

I have one of those gravel vac cleaners but i have very fine crushed coral at the bottom so when i try to clean it, it picks up all the coral too? I dont think they make one for coral do they?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

why do you have crushed coral as a substrate? it can affect your water chemistry so unless you have something like african cichlids that like a really high pH you shouldn't really use it.

gravel vac's should work fine on it though, you can use them on sand. you just need to hover it a bit above the substrate and the waste should suck up into it. don't dig it into the substrate like you would gravel.

 

[Angel98]

I dont know i got the tank of my boyfriend's brother and he used it. How can i change it now when i have all my fish in there? I cant can i?

Yeah i will try again tonight then, if some of the coral gets sucked up i can just seive it out couldnt i and put it back in the tank

 

[catxx]

you can change substrate as long as you do it carefully. it can mean taking everything out the tank (i've heard of people not doing that, but i would, especially with sand). get a PH reading of your tank first to see if it's necessary.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

you can change substrate as long as you do it carefully. it can mean taking everything out the tank (i've heard of people not doing that, but i would, especially with sand). get a PH reading of your tank first to see if it's necessary.

yup agreed.

check your pH and if your not sure post it for us and we'll let you know if we forsee any problems.

you can change substrate fairly easily though, i've done it a few times.

you catch the fish and put them in a bucket of tank water, remove all plants and decor, scoop out the substrate, wash your new substrate and put it back in the tank, it may take half an hr or so to settle but if it's been washed properly should be fine, then re-arrange the tank and put the fish back in

 

[Angel98]

Yeah i will check the PH, i will have to go too the pet shop and get a test kit wont i? Any recommendations which one i should get?

If its all ok i wont change it because i quite like it but if its affecting my fish then i will have 2!

Thanks again

 

[Miss Wiggle]

I recommend the API Fresh Water Master Test Kit, just make sure it's liquid tests not test strips or pills or anything like that.

it's an essential to have in your cupboard anyway

 

[Angel98]

http/i4.photobucket.com/albums/y105/aman...20Pics/Test.jpg

Is it this one? Surely i dont need a kit like that do i? Can i not use the TETRA TEST 5 IN 1 TEST STRIPS then?

 

[Arimus]

I would recommend that one... I used test strips and off all sorted of water (including tap, tank, ro) it gave the same result... also gave the same result off bleepin lemon juice. Needles to say the strips are now in the bin...

It can be very handy, especially when something goes wrong, to monitor what is going on with the water in the tank - too high ammonia or nitrites are lethal to fish - and even low traces of ammonia over time build up in the fish poisoning them slowly.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yep that's the one.

those 5 in one test strips are completely rubbish, waste of time and money.

get the API one, trust me it'll come in handy!

 

[Angel98]

Ok i will get that one then if its better than strips! Will be handy in future as you said. What happens if my water is wrong then? Do you buy stuff to level it all out? Does it tell you what to do in the test kit if its wrong?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Ok i will get that one then if its better than strips! Will be handy in future as you said. What happens if my water is wrong then? Do you buy stuff to level it all out? Does it tell you what to do in the test kit if its wrong?

test your water for pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate

post the results here and we'll help you decifer them and tell you what you need to do.

don't worry about having to buy stuff, there is a chance you'll need something but a lot of problems can be fixed by simple water changes and a bit of maintenance

 

[Angel98]

Ok thanks Miss Wiggle for all your help, and every1 else thanks

 

[Angel98]

Took a sample of my water to the pet shop yesterday and they said it was perfect my ammonia level is creeping up very slighty so she said to vac the bottom which i did im so proud hehe!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

did they give you the actual readings or just say it was fine?

if so what were they?

if you have any reading for ammonia it's not perfect.... that should be 0.

but well done for getting the tank vacc'd properly. you'll find it gets dead easy with time