Stuff for cleaning

[LittleMissFish]

Hiya everyone!

I'm getting really compfortable here really fast thanks!

Ok so here's my question, I would like to know exactly what you need to clean the tank, and do the partial water changes cuz I'm not exactly sure, and how do you get the new water your putting in, to the same temp as the water in the tank?

Ok well I have more topics to check out!
Hugs!
~Jill

 

[wotfish?]

ok assuming your new,
an algae cleaner is good for cleaning the inside glass, also you need a gravel vac for getting the crud out of the substrate, when doing a water change you need to add a dechlorinater to the new water, i just had boiled water from the kettle to bring it up to temp.

hth

sue

 

[William]

Green spot algae on the glass is a pain, nothing will be able to eat it, so if some of this comes on your tank then its best to buy a "magnetic algae cleaner" works a treat

For the partial water changes I have 2 buckets and a manual gravel vac which you have to suck into to start the flow and then gravity pulls the water out of the tank. I really don't recommend the electric ones as they don't work so well and things go wrong with then. Also... if I was you I would really buy two test kits, ammonia and nitrIte also to check how the cycles progressing.
Hope that helps

 

[cryosi]

dont forget the tank glass cleaner for the outside of the tank, to wipe away those water marks and finger prints lol green spot algae! my bristle nibble at that lol not the brown algae thou!

 

[GeckoGeek]

Hello! Heres a helpful hint for refilling the bigger tanks.

I went to the hardware store and bought 30ft of 1" plastic water line ($15.00) and an end that fit my shower head. All you do is unscrew the shower head from the line, attach the fitting, get your water the right temp, and pull the shower button...makes refilling the tank alot easier!

 

[cryosi]

i dont believe this!

 

[Great Lakes]

Little Miss, Since you are here in the States, I know you can find a supermarket where RO/DI water is readily available. But yourself a five gallon jug there that can be refilled for about a buck and a half. Use this straight up with NO chemicals for water changes. A note on gravel cleaners. Smaller is better. Drains your tank slower and gives you time to vacuum the gravel. And vinegar is one of the safest most effective ways to clean the white calcium deposits that will form on the top of your tank after a while.

 

[reef3]

unplug shower??!?! BUYING tube?!?!? !why not just use the fosset..........i mean do most people have hot and cold water running to their sinks? or is it just me....., but i just got one of those 5 gallon preset heaters and stick them in the water im gonna use the next day!!

 

[Great Lakes]

I don't do water changes, it saves me a lot of this trouble...lol

 

[reef3]

dont do water changes?> your fish must be hurting....you have to do a water change to vaccum gravel!!! thats messed up..

 

[Danny-uk-carp.com]

Doesn't water get heated throught a copper coil or something? meaning you are adding way to much copper to your tank water? I have always believed that you use cold water only heating it with a heater, Washing gravel, rocks, woods, tank, filters so on so fourth with cold water only.

Am i right i think i am

 

[Great Lakes]

Copper takes some time to leach into the water. I guess if you had one of those hot water on demand systems, it might be an issue. When I am going to need a large volume of water, I have a RV drinking water hose I use.