Tank Cleaning Question From A Newbie

[Deepatlantis]

Hi, I've had my tank for about six weeks and during cycling I got an algae bloom but I added some amano shrimp and snails and they've cleaned the place up nicely and I don't see any algae. I have been doing water changes and siphoning in the gravel. I'm just wondering if this is enough? I know you can rinse the filter materials off in used tank water but I haven't done this yet, and the tank seems pretty clean. How do I know when to give it a full 'spring clean' or is that even necessary? Should I be following a schedule or how do I know when to clean?

I'm just concerned that I look after the little fishes home properly.

 

[fluttermoth]

You should, for most tanks, be changing the water/cleaning weekly. The purpose of water changes is to reduce nitrate and to replenish trace minerals, so you still need to do them, even if your nitrate is low

How much you do and how much water you change depends on how big and messy your fish are.

For instance, my oscar and his catfish tankmates get 50/75% a week, because they're big and messy, whereas my dwarf emerald rasboras are tiny and make hardly any mess, plus their tank is well planted, so they get only 10 or 20% weekly.

Internal filters should be opened and checked every time you do a water change. Give all the stuff inside a quick swish in old tank water, just to get off the 'mulm'; you don't want to scrub anything, or try to get it looking like 'new'! Big external filters don't need doing so often; again though, depending on the actual fish.

As to full 'spring cleans' (I assume by this you mean stripping the tank right down and emptying it completely), that never needs to be done.

 

[tmoney7]

Yeah i have a 10 gal tank with pygmy corys and a betta that i do 25% water changes to every Monday.

 

[Deepatlantis]

Wow, that's so helpful fluttermoth, thanks. I just thought I had better check. I think I'm doing it right, but I will rinse the filter pad off next time I do the water.