cleaning planted tanks???

[amyb_70]

hi all, i have been looking at so many beautifully planted tanks here, some are just picture perfect with the green bedding and all. I am just dipping my hands into the plants and have some coming real soon. I have some sword plant and not sure of name but another plant that has similar leaf. i had anacharis, water whisteria, the tall grass, a ground cover which my fish ate, and java moss that i killed. anyway im excited about getting started with plants but i am very concerned about how to clean the tank when it is planted, especially to the degree of many of yours. How do you clean up the 'poo', any food that may have sunk to the bottom. do you have problems with a lot of algae? how on earth can you keep track of your fish, what if theres a dead one? how do you siphon the bottom?
those are just the questions that pop in my head as i look at these lovely planted aquariums. I have only been at this since April, so i am very new, and learning more each day with tons more to learn. I started out backwards, and have had to redo going from backward to the beginning and starting things off again the right way. i managed to kill many fish in the process, but 1 key thing i learned DO NOT count on the lfs to give the right advise. come here and google, and dont rush into anything. i realize not all lfs employees give bad advise IME it was not good, i was told it was ok to have 2 koi, guppies, neon danios, and glo fish and a must have CAE. Ok that was the 1st experience at the lfs, needless to say - i now believe the opposite of what they tell me...
sorry for going on so long

 

[jan4scuba]

Welcome you've come to the right place. Please let us know what the specifics of the tank are: size, substrate, fert or no fert. Same for co2 and lighting. I just cleaned my whole planted tank yesterday and it was quite a process. I'm fairly new at this as well. A lot of people don't clean the substrate and only clean the algae on the front.

That's not for me. I have also lost shrimp and fish and have no idea what happened to them. Never found a trace. I have some plants doing great and others melting. Still trying to figure out the right combination of ferts co2 and lighting so I can keep the algae on the glass under control and still give enough for the plants to thrive.

The people here are great and hopefully you'll get some good answers. Good luck and remember the advice I was given. PATIENCE is the key.


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[amyb_70]

Welcome you've come to the right place. Please let us know what the specifics of the tank are: size, substrate, fert or no fert. Same for co2 and lighting. I just cleaned my whole planted tank yesterday and it was quite a process. I'm fairly new at this as well. A lot of people don't clean the substrate and only clean the algae on the front.

That's not for me. I have also lost shrimp and fish and have no idea what happened to them. Never found a trace. I have some plants doing great and others melting. Still trying to figure out the right combination of ferts co2 and lighting so I can keep the algae on the glass under control and still give enough for the plants to thrive.

The people here are great and hopefully you'll get some good answers. Good luck and remember the advice I was given. PATIENCE is the key.


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The tank i am referring to is a 29 gal. I just changed substrate friday night to the kind for planted tanks w/ fertilizers in it. i have used c02 not much luck, trying leaf zone right now, have tried the fertilizer tabs also. the problem is i need to keep my plants to ones that require low light. so i am going with sword plant, java fern is being shipped. I am one of those people who clean my aquarium to much. at first i was cleaning so good i was always bringing it back to new cycle. thankfully someone explained BB to me, so now i clean as much as i can and keep BB. So yes i will want to clean the substrate. algae is nasty and i do clean that also.

 

[BBradbury]

Cleaning a Planted Tank

Hello amy...

I like to keep my tanks natural. So, I don't ever clean anything other than the filtration system and never vacuum the bottom material. The organic material that falls to the bottom dissolves and fertilizes my plants. So, I don't have to use commercial fertilizers. What the plants don't use is removed by removing and replacing half the tank water every week. If you don't change out the water regularly, you can have water problems and sick fish.

When I started, I kept an alphabetical notebook of questions and answers from this forum and others. I still refer to it after 10 years in the hobby. Might be helpful for you to do the same.

B

 

[amyb_70]

Hey Bbrad, thank you! Keeping notes is a good idea. There really is so much to learn and other information that is good to know for my down the road plans. I have to ask, without cleaning the substrate doesn't it get fishy smelling? How long do you keep the substrate before you change it? I ask because on Friday I removed all the sand and replaced it with plant substrate. When I say the sand smelled awful that's being easy. It stunk, and my water was black - no joke. When I started to have a hard time seeing the fish I transferred them into a bucket with their water. I was so nervous that I was going to kill them all. I got the job done and all fish still living. A huge accomplishment for me.


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[Fresh2o]

I clean the front and sides with an algae magnet. Prior to changing the water I try to stir up things up by shooting a jet of water at the substrate surface. Early on I would occasionally vacuum the substrate but as time went on I ran out of open space to carpet plants and I did not want to remove any of the root tabs. I use floss in my filters to trap suspended waste.


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[amyb_70]

Fresh, you say you shoot a jet of water at the substrate, how do you do that w/o stressing the fish ( note my large tanks only a 29 gal), and my other question, don't laugh at me, what is floss and how does it only catch the poo and other not so good stuff? Are you able to keep check and make sure all fish are ok and alive?


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[Fresh2o]

I use the same plastic syringe I use for dosing Glutaraldehyde. The syringe has a length of airline and rigid tubing to help draw it from the old Excel bottle. I picked up the syringe for $0.79 in the baby aisle at the grocery store (pediatric oral syringe with graduations in mLs). I just shoot a jet of water towards the bottom at the base of the plants, into the corners, and at the driftwood. Not sure if it bothers the fish.
I picked up a pillow size bag of Poly-Fil fluff from a craft store (Michaels). It's basically white polyester filter fluff. Just make sure whatever product you select does not contain flame retardants. I also have a sheet of blue/white Marineland filter fluff; just cut to size.
I only have a few fish in my 20g long. In 2007 or 2009 I added 6 golden tetras and in 2012 I added 6 longfin blue danios. I have 3 of each left. Last year I added an Amano shrimp. That's it. Not very interesting I know. I've been concentrating on plants. I do want to add more fish but not sure what. Plus, I need to get my quarantine tank setup before I add anything.
Any fish that have died became food for the snails (MTS) and shrimp.



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[amyb_70]

Oh I have that stuff. Polyfill I think is what they called it. The filter I have is a drop in with the Polyfill and carbon chips and ammo chips in the middle. I love this filter. So your saying the Polyfill or Floss is the same thing as the craft stores have? Just make sure it does not say flame resistant, is this right? Those are probably a bit cheaper then the 9.00 I spent. Got ya with the syringe , I have a turkey baster I'm thinking May work just as well. I'm a clean freak so that would be good for the inbetween major cleanings. I think I do to often


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[treemanone2003]

Oh I have that stuff. Polyfill I think is what they called it. The filter I have is a drop in with the Polyfill and carbon chips and ammo chips in the middle. I love this filter. So your saying the Polyfill or Floss is the same thing as the craft stores have? Just make sure it does not say flame resistant, is this right? Those are probably a bit cheaper then the 9.00 I spent. Got ya with the syringe , I have a turkey baster I'm thinking May work just as well. I'm a clean freak so that would be good for the inbetween major cleanings. I think I do to often


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Absolutely correct on the "flame retardant" and craft store statement. It contains chemicals that will be toxic to your water babies. I've also used that material at times as an in tank glass cleaner instead of paper towels or rags. Just due to convenience. (I'll pm ya later on the other thing, lol).


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[Fresh2o]

Turkey baster is a good idea. But I might get in trouble with the wife.
*sneaking into kitchen late at night to return the turkey baster


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[amyb_70]

Absolutely correct on the "flame retardant" and craft store statement. It contains chemicals that will be toxic to your water babies. I've also used that material at times as an in tank glass cleaner instead of paper towels or rags. Just due to convenience. (I'll pm ya later on the other thing, lol).


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Thank you Tree, I look forward to your pm. I love to learn


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[amyb_70]

Turkey baster is a good idea. But I might get in trouble with the wife.
*sneaking into kitchen late at night to return the turkey baster


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EWWWW, Fresh. No need to sneak, I got mine at Walmart on clearance for .97, I'm pretty sure you'd be able to find one at a dollar tree this time of year. But I'm guessing if your wife catches you, you'll get to keep it. You may get chewed out too.


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[Fresh2o]

Jk about the turkey baster. But I used to sneak out the scissors and return them to trim the plants until I picked up some plant trimming scissors. She's not on here so it will be our* little secret

*Oh, and the internet


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[amyb_70]

Ha ha ha Fresh, your to funny. Scissors would be acceptable. I'm not sure I'll ever make it to the point of trimming, if I do I suppose I'll use my old barbering skills to help me.


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[treemanone2003]

Jk about the turkey baster. But I used to sneak out the scissors and return them to trim the plants until I picked up some plant trimming scissors. She's not on here so it will be our* little secret

*Oh, and the internet


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Ha ha ha Fresh, your to funny. Scissors would be acceptable. I'm not sure I'll ever make it to the point of trimming, if I do I suppose I'll use my old barbering skills to help me.


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Lol Fresh !!!! They're both dishwasher safe, right ??? What could go wrong ???


Amy, I really have to travel to New York for a trim ?


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[amyb_70]

Holy snap Tree that's some long hair. Longer than mine. It probably looks great in a ponytail or even braid.


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[treemanone2003]

Holy snap Tree that's some long hair. Longer than mine. It probably looks great in a ponytail or even braid.


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Lol, your the second young lady to suggest a braid, but I don't know about that yet. Ponytail always at work !!! Gets stuck on the branches too much.


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[Wags 22]

Aquarium Plants Landscaping Tools Aquascapin Kit 5pc's
Sold by: BEAUTYTOOLZ

I ordered this set off Amazon, it was the best $25 aquarium investment I have made yet. I tend to use the tweezers more than sheers.

drink more beer

 

[Wags 22]

As far as floating plants goes, I just received some crystal wart from invert obsession today. It made a huge mess in my tank until it finally settled in the calm zone. My power head needed to be relocated to adjust the current. I'm excited to see how it progresses

drink more beer