FishyMamma
Aquarium Advice Freak
I'm an intermediate fish-keeper - meaning I've made all the basic mistakes and learned from them. Now I rarely lose a fish, have a BB population crash, or get new tank syndrome from overzealous filter cleaning. However, I notice after about a year of aquarium life, my tank starts to feel "icky."
The sides seem to get grit, both dark brown and green, that doesn't really come off, even with scrubbing with an aquarium scrubber and plenty of elbow grease. The filters get filthy more quickly. Nerite snail eggs adhere everywhere. The plants need some trimming too.
The tank looks good to the untrained eye, except maybe for the plant overgrowth. So I'm thinking the whole thing needs to be broken down, super cleaned with vinegar, and re-set up. I would reserve the filter media in a separate pail of tank water to minimize loss.
I do 70% PWC's once a week and rinse the two filters at different water changes to preserve BB's. I wipe down the inside glass most weeks with the water change. I do use pre-filters on the intakes of both HOB filters. (It's a 55 gal. standard, planted. )
My questions are: Is it normal to feel like a tank needs a breakdown after a year, or ever? How would I do a breakdown? How would I avoid a breakdown but get the tank cleaner? What am I missing maintenance wise? Any other advice or comments on the situation?
Thanks in advance.
Yours in fresh water,
Fishymoma
Sent via an unladen European Swallow
The sides seem to get grit, both dark brown and green, that doesn't really come off, even with scrubbing with an aquarium scrubber and plenty of elbow grease. The filters get filthy more quickly. Nerite snail eggs adhere everywhere. The plants need some trimming too.
The tank looks good to the untrained eye, except maybe for the plant overgrowth. So I'm thinking the whole thing needs to be broken down, super cleaned with vinegar, and re-set up. I would reserve the filter media in a separate pail of tank water to minimize loss.
I do 70% PWC's once a week and rinse the two filters at different water changes to preserve BB's. I wipe down the inside glass most weeks with the water change. I do use pre-filters on the intakes of both HOB filters. (It's a 55 gal. standard, planted. )
My questions are: Is it normal to feel like a tank needs a breakdown after a year, or ever? How would I do a breakdown? How would I avoid a breakdown but get the tank cleaner? What am I missing maintenance wise? Any other advice or comments on the situation?
Thanks in advance.
Yours in fresh water,
Fishymoma
Sent via an unladen European Swallow