Tank Cleaning

[JonesyJ666]

what ways do you clean your tanks, specially tanks that are 3ft plus, as i find it such a ball ache to clean.
would like some idea in case there are better ways of doing it
 
ta

 

[Arcticfox1977]

My tank is 3ft long. I use a magnetic algae cleaner which is great. Then I use a gravel cleaner to suck up fish waste and any rotten food, which is also used to syphon my tank.

 

[kevingrods]

get a cleaner with a sponge on it... Has a huge long handle and just run it on the inside of the tank.. They sell them at petsmart.  I use it, much easier than those little algea cleaners...

 

[dgwebster]

I use a pleco

 

[Asteria]

I use a pleco

Plecos just add more waste

Sponge or magnetice algae cleaner.
And gravel cleaner.
Does the trick nicely
Oh and some snails they lovee the algea xD

 

[frapadoodle]

Well I keep hoping for a lottery win so I can hire someone.
Till that happens, sponge algae scrubber, fish only towels, siphon hose, five gallon buckets, and wet arms.

 

[HHH]

i have a farlowella and that pretty much takes care of all the algar along with the SAE. as for vaccuming i dont do it as this is a fairly new tank and planted

 

[Skies]

I use this:
 

 
Sometimes you can find them with longer handles as well. 

 

[fluttermoth]

I use a hose to syphon water out and trickle back in;saves a lot of bucket lugging

 

[Shelster]

Check this out by SLIM:

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/414173-eden/page-12
Scroll down to post 229.

 

[dgwebster]

I use a hose to syphon water out and trickle back in;saves a lot of bucket lugging

Similar here for water changes. Ive got a T frok my filter out, hook up a hose, turn the valves and pump water out. Switch off filter, close filter tap, connect other end of hose to water, trickle back in.

 

[Skies]

I do my water changes the hard way, a siphon and a 5g bucket! Owe, my achin' back! xD

 

[Dan-CR4]

I use my battery operated eheim gravel cleaner first, then use a small small pump attatched to a hose to pump 50% of the tank water out, while its doing that I clean the glass quickly with a little square algae pad. like whats on the ones with sticks, but just the pad. I dont like using magnet glass cleaners in case it picks up a bit of substrate and starts scratching me glass. Then just refill with hose, but add me seachem prime in the tank before filling. once every 4 weeks I clean one of my external filters and hoses if they need doing.

 

[plectastic]

Just Hoover up with the hose when siphoning on water changes. Straight into the bath. Connect to tap and refill

 

[Dskize]

Buy a Python ...only thing that could provide enough suction to pick up the remnants of a 3 inch locust once it's gone through the digestive system of a Tiger Oscar , I tried everything , battery gravel vac , inline pond pump , all sorts , and my 5x2x2 is currently sitting in the floor so no gravity , bought the python and do water changes whilst cleaning the substrate with no fuss and no need for 20 connectors and swapping of hoses...cost me 80 on ebay but I would of paid double

I had to swap the factory suction tube for one with a smaller diameter to get the results I wanted but now it's superb I can do a small water change and cleanup in 20 mins if I want the tank poo free..