Comments on: How to Clean an Aquarium http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-an-aquarium/ How to clean anything and everything! Sun, 22 Jan 2012 00:15:38 +0000 hourly 1 By: Bell Ministries http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-an-aquarium/#comment-10309 Bell Ministries Sat, 21 Feb 2009 22:24:37 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=861#comment-10309 In the section named "Keeping your fish tank clean" it suggests to get "some algae-eating friends, such as suckermouth catfish." FYI: Goldfish are the only ones that can survive with other goldfish. Even the sucker fish & algae eaters will be poisoned to death by the chemicals secreted by the goldfish. I found that out after several of my nieces' fish had died after they were put with the goldfish. It was a horrible & deadly mistake that will never be made again. In the section named “Keeping your fish tank clean” it suggests to get “some algae-eating friends, such as suckermouth catfish.” FYI: Goldfish are the only ones that can survive with other goldfish. Even the sucker fish & algae eaters will be poisoned to death by the chemicals secreted by the goldfish. I found that out after several of my nieces’ fish had died after they were put with the goldfish. It was a horrible & deadly mistake that will never be made again.

]]> By: Phil http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-an-aquarium/#comment-6380 Phil Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:07:42 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=861#comment-6380 Don't suck on the tube to fill it with water because it is so easy to make a mistake and get a mouthful of aquarium water. Instead put the entire tube under water and then plug the end of the tube with your thumb while moving that end of the tube into the pail. Don’t suck on the tube to fill it with water because it is so easy to make a mistake and get a mouthful of aquarium water. Instead put the entire tube under water and then plug the end of the tube with your thumb while moving that end of the tube into the pail.

]]> By: Lisa http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-an-aquarium/#comment-6376 Lisa Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:46:38 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=861#comment-6376 That's all well and good for those that know how to keep a saltwater tank but, for the commoner we usually opt to have a freshwater tank. Those do need to be cleaned sometimes and there's a product called the Python that aides in siphoning and filling just with the flick of a switch. Apparently, (I haven't gotten mine yet) you can hook it up to your faucet and it'll drain the water from your tank then you flip a switch and it'll fill it too. The only thing to keep in mind there is to check the water temp. before you let it run into the tank. I've ordered one in the 100 ft length but, they have 50 and 25 too. That’s all well and good for those that know how to keep a saltwater tank but, for the commoner we usually opt to have a freshwater tank. Those do need to be cleaned sometimes and there’s a product called the Python that aides in siphoning and filling just with the flick of a switch. Apparently, (I haven’t gotten mine yet) you can hook it up to your faucet and it’ll drain the water from your tank then you flip a switch and it’ll fill it too. The only thing to keep in mind there is to check the water temp. before you let it run into the tank. I’ve ordered one in the 100 ft length but, they have 50 and 25 too.

]]> By: Cindy http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-an-aquarium/#comment-6369 Cindy Fri, 07 Nov 2008 15:47:14 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=861#comment-6369 There are algae scrubbers that have a magnet in them that you can move with a magnet on the outside of the glass so you don't even have to get your hands into the water to scrape... less stress on the fish, especially the really nervous ones! There are algae scrubbers that have a magnet in them that you can move with a magnet on the outside of the glass so you don’t even have to get your hands into the water to scrape… less stress on the fish, especially the really nervous ones!

]]> By: Jon http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-an-aquarium/#comment-6230 Jon Mon, 03 Nov 2008 16:55:50 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=861#comment-6230 A properly setup and maintained marine (ie, salt-water) aquarium needs little or no cleaning. Organisms and the natural chemicals in the tank will work in harmony: nitrogenous wastes will be converted to gas and evaporate, eg. My last 70 gal. marine tank never had a change of water in 5 years, and all chemistry testings, done regularly, remained within normal limits, usually 'zero'. The main 'secret' is to provide in the tank a 'zone of anaerobia', ie, large areas of very low oxygen concentrations, such as might be provided deep within very porous rock material. It is in that zone that the final conversion of nitrogenous salts are converted into free nitrogen gas ( N2 ), which will then evaporate. Low or no nitrogen = no algae, although some small amounts of 'hard algae' are healthy, even desirable; Its trivial merely to clean the glass and to replenish evaporative loss of tank water. A properly setup and maintained marine (ie, salt-water) aquarium needs little or no cleaning. Organisms and the natural chemicals in the tank will work in harmony: nitrogenous wastes will be converted to gas and evaporate, eg.

My last 70 gal. marine tank never had a change of water in 5 years, and all chemistry testings, done regularly, remained within normal limits, usually ‘zero’.

The main ‘secret’ is to provide in the tank a ‘zone of anaerobia’, ie, large areas of very low oxygen concentrations, such as might be provided deep within very porous rock material. It is in that zone that the final conversion of nitrogenous salts are converted into free nitrogen gas ( N2 ), which will then evaporate. Low or no nitrogen = no algae, although some small amounts of ‘hard algae’ are healthy, even desirable; Its trivial merely to clean the glass and to replenish evaporative loss of tank water.

]]> By: Shabnam http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-clean-an-aquarium/#comment-5754 Shabnam Sun, 19 Oct 2008 06:55:08 +0000 http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/?p=861#comment-5754 An interesting tip I heard from a fellow aquarist was to wash the filter in the water that has been siphoned out. Let the water sit for a bit so that the REALLY dirty and heavy bits settle and then remove the filter and give it a slow muddle and swish in the water. This will not get it spanking clean, but will ensure that you don't shock the fish or their environment too much. An interesting tip I heard from a fellow aquarist was to wash the filter in the water that has been siphoned out. Let the water sit for a bit so that the REALLY dirty and heavy bits settle and then remove the filter and give it a slow muddle and swish in the water. This will not get it spanking clean, but will ensure that you don’t shock the fish or their environment too much.

]]>