How to clean a tank ?

bsmith · 06-21-2005, 11:13 PM

well i am about to clean my tank and clean the gravel and inside, what products can i use to clean the gravel and inside besides water ? thanks

fishfreaks · 06-22-2005, 05:37 AM

hm well i like the mag-float, walmart sells a cheaper version, we have that and it works just as great, you use it to clean the glass, much better than a sponge on a stick

maxpayne_lhp · 06-22-2005, 06:31 AM

You may have a syphon and vacuum stuff out. I duno what brand. maybe some other people may tell you what is the best.

**TheOldSalt** · 06-22-2005, 10:08 AM

Water works just fine. There's no need to get all chemical with it.

bsmith · 06-22-2005, 10:41 AM

ok, well i am taking all the gravel out, and i have a little left and all the leftover water is all brown and nasty, i guess im scared cause my fish that i had before all died on some unkown reason, and i am not sure if i should take it all out and clean it or will i be alright with a little of the dirty water and gravel in there before i add and mix in my new black gravel ?

**Damon** · 06-22-2005, 10:51 AM

The brown nasty stuff is good for a tank. Its called mulm and it is the foundation for beneficial bacteria. I'm guessing your fish died due to overstocking just looking at your tank stocking levels.

bsmith · 06-22-2005, 11:06 AM

well actually the fish i had were 3pictus, 2 gourami, 4 tiger barbs 1 pleco and 1 baby peacock eel. i dont think thats too much for a 40gallon tank.
the pictus starting getting something that looked like ich, so i treated it but they died, then the other got the little white bumps and died, then the barbs just died with no visable signs. thats why i dotn know what to do

fishfreaks · 06-23-2005, 07:29 AM

well if you don't have a syphon hose, i suggest you invest in one.

**fish_doc** · 06-25-2005, 08:11 PM

The syphon is the greatest thing anyone could have ever created for a tank cleaning. The magna float also mentioned was a suprise the first time I used it. I was unsure on how good it would be but was pleasently suprised at how well it worked.

**Cichlid Man** · 06-26-2005, 10:28 AM

The best product to clean fish tank glass with is salt, but make sure you wash the salt water off the glass to stop it drying and becomeing hard.

bsmith · 06-27-2005, 12:24 PM

so how do you work a syphon, how much are they ?

MiSo · 06-27-2005, 02:36 PM

a syphon is as cheap as $6.

but if you've got a big tank, i'd invest in a python kit.
it makes chaning the water a whole lot easier.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...&N=2004+113160

fishfreaks · 06-27-2005, 03:02 PM

or if you've got multiple tanks.

**fish_doc** · 06-27-2005, 09:01 PM

The cheap syphon you get the water going through the tube to a bucket. Fill the bucket while putting the plastic of the syphon in the gravel. This will pull any waste out of the gravel. Then empty the bucket and reverse the process.

With a python you hook it up to your sink and the hose moves the water for you instead of hauling buckets. Its very nice.

06-21-2005, 11:13 PM	#1
bsmith fish n00b Join Date: May 2005 Age: 26 Posts: 406	How to clean a tank ? well i am about to clean my tank and clean the gravel and inside, what products can i use to clean the gravel and inside besides water ? thanks __________________ * 40 Gallon BR Tank * 2 Blue Ram 2 AngelFish (gold & marble) 4 Green Cory 3 Neon Tetra 1 Pleco 4 ghost shrimp 1 Golden Apple Snail * 10 Gallon Tank * 2 juvi Albino Cory Cats 4 Neon Tetras http://community.webshots.com/user/bsmith000

06-22-2005, 05:37 AM	#2
fishfreaks M&F Couple Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: PA Age: 21 Posts: 4,303	hm well i like the mag-float, walmart sells a cheaper version, we have that and it works just as great, you use it to clean the glass, much better than a sponge on a stick __________________ VOTE FOR FISH FORUMS

06-22-2005, 06:31 AM	#3
maxpayne_lhp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: West Michigan Age: 20 Posts: 2,174	You may have a syphon and vacuum stuff out. I duno what brand. maybe some other people may tell you what is the best. __________________ ~Nam Nguyen~

06-22-2005, 10:41 AM	#5
bsmith fish n00b Join Date: May 2005 Age: 26 Posts: 406	ok, well i am taking all the gravel out, and i have a little left and all the leftover water is all brown and nasty, i guess im scared cause my fish that i had before all died on some unkown reason, and i am not sure if i should take it all out and clean it or will i be alright with a little of the dirty water and gravel in there before i add and mix in my new black gravel ? __________________ * 40 Gallon BR Tank * 2 Blue Ram 2 AngelFish (gold & marble) 4 Green Cory 3 Neon Tetra 1 Pleco 4 ghost shrimp 1 Golden Apple Snail * 10 Gallon Tank * 2 juvi Albino Cory Cats 4 Neon Tetras http://community.webshots.com/user/bsmith000

06-22-2005, 10:51 AM	#6
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982	The brown nasty stuff is good for a tank. Its called mulm and it is the foundation for beneficial bacteria. I'm guessing your fish died due to overstocking just looking at your tank stocking levels. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)

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06-22-2005, 10:08 AM	#4
TheOldSalt Darth Ichthyos Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 4,360	Water works just fine. There's no need to get all chemical with it.

06-22-2005, 11:06 AM	#7
bsmith fish n00b Join Date: May 2005 Age: 26 Posts: 406	well actually the fish i had were 3pictus, 2 gourami, 4 tiger barbs 1 pleco and 1 baby peacock eel. i dont think thats too much for a 40gallon tank. the pictus starting getting something that looked like ich, so i treated it but they died, then the other got the little white bumps and died, then the barbs just died with no visable signs. thats why i dotn know what to do __________________ * 40 Gallon BR Tank * 2 Blue Ram 2 AngelFish (gold & marble) 4 Green Cory 3 Neon Tetra 1 Pleco 4 ghost shrimp 1 Golden Apple Snail * 10 Gallon Tank * 2 juvi Albino Cory Cats 4 Neon Tetras http://community.webshots.com/user/bsmith000

06-23-2005, 07:29 AM	#8
fishfreaks M&F Couple Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: PA Age: 21 Posts: 4,303	well if you don't have a syphon hose, i suggest you invest in one. __________________ VOTE FOR FISH FORUMS

06-25-2005, 08:11 PM	#9
fish_doc Advisor to Neptune (Mod) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Illinois Age: 40 Posts: 3,835	The syphon is the greatest thing anyone could have ever created for a tank cleaning. The magna float also mentioned was a suprise the first time I used it. I was unsure on how good it would be but was pleasently suprised at how well it worked. __________________ Dave (fish_doc) A World of fish

06-26-2005, 10:28 AM	#10
Cichlid Man Super moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 2,100	The best product to clean fish tank glass with is salt, but make sure you wash the salt water off the glass to stop it drying and becomeing hard. __________________ If you have a big enough tank with enough hiding places, pH of around 7, you can keep virtually any fish together as long as all the fish are around the same size and these two groups of fish are avioded: Serrasalmus Tetradon(figure eights and dwarfs are the exception). I keep a successful community of fish in a 4 foot tank including the following families: Cichlids, tetras, loaches, gouramis, barbs, rainbows, livebearers, killiefish, catfish, puffers.

06-27-2005, 12:24 PM	#11
bsmith fish n00b Join Date: May 2005 Age: 26 Posts: 406	so how do you work a syphon, how much are they ? __________________ * 40 Gallon BR Tank * 2 Blue Ram 2 AngelFish (gold & marble) 4 Green Cory 3 Neon Tetra 1 Pleco 4 ghost shrimp 1 Golden Apple Snail * 10 Gallon Tank * 2 juvi Albino Cory Cats 4 Neon Tetras http://community.webshots.com/user/bsmith000

06-27-2005, 02:36 PM	#12
MiSo Ballin' Alan Join Date: May 2005 Age: 27 Posts: 146	a syphon is as cheap as $6. but if you've got a big tank, i'd invest in a python kit. it makes chaning the water a whole lot easier. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...&N=2004+113160

06-27-2005, 03:02 PM	#13
fishfreaks M&F Couple Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: PA Age: 21 Posts: 4,303	or if you've got multiple tanks. __________________ VOTE FOR FISH FORUMS

06-27-2005, 09:01 PM	#14
fish_doc Advisor to Neptune (Mod) Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Illinois Age: 40 Posts: 3,835	The cheap syphon you get the water going through the tube to a bucket. Fill the bucket while putting the plastic of the syphon in the gravel. This will pull any waste out of the gravel. Then empty the bucket and reverse the process. With a python you hook it up to your sink and the hose moves the water for you instead of hauling buckets. Its very nice. __________________ Dave (fish_doc) A World of fish

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