Let's talk breakdowns

[FishyMamma]

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



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[FishyMamma]

PS. My tank has that "earthy" smell mentioned by Denbros in another thread. (Thanks for bringing it up!)



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[acewiza]

70% weekly sound a bit excessive, to me. I don't believe the "breakdown" of an established tank just because you are feeling OCD about something is ever going to be a good idea. I'd just fix the things that are annoying you. One at a time.

 

[FishyMamma]

Thanks for responding!

I do 70% because I use an Aqueon water changer and it's easy to do. Is there a reason not to, other than saving water?

How would you recommend I get rid of the "grit" and algae that seems to be adhered strongly to the insides of the aquarium?



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[acewiza]

Is there a reason not to, other than saving water?

Fish and mother nature both like stability. That much water changing could be stressing both, depending on the state of your tap water.

How would you recommend I get rid of the "grit" and algae that seems to be adhered strongly to the insides of the aquarium?

I use a razor blade for the tough stuff:

 

[FishyMamma]

Neat razor blade contraption. Home Depot?



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[acewiza]

You might find them at HD. I get most things suitable for shipping from Amazon these days.

 

[Harry Vysekal]

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

I brought 60l biorb life after I had my 250l running for a year, I found annoying the visual dirt between the gravel layer, and my overall filtration wasn't satisfying. So I decide to try and built DIY gravel filter for my 10l breeder so I brought some pond filter wool and airline tubing, I have found some scrap flat pvc, from old laundry basket, drilled holes, fitted garden hose and hooked it to air pump, and I had my first DIY gravel filter, water was cloudy for a week but since then, no dirt in gravel, larger filter surface area,I have some filter gravel, carbon media and other filter media at the very bottom with my heater, have to say I can run the tank with oh the mechanical filter but I rather won't as its more beneficial. So I build another for my biorb and will be building even larger for my 250l but in a year time on my yearly maintenance. All I have to say that the visual appearance is slightly less attractive due to the separation of gravel layer and the bottom but it can be easily fixed by just adding space between the front glass and the filter and filled with gravel.


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[Mebbid]

Breaking down a tank is no small upset to life in an aquarium. Theres tons of beneficial things in the tank that help break down waste.

I am fairly confident that bio diversity in the water column is one of the primary factors in keeping diatoms at bay.

Just clean more thoroughly in small spots to get at thenproblem areas. For tough algae, i just use a regular razor blade scraper that can be bought at hardware stores.

 

[FishyMamma]

Thanks Mebbid. I'll just visit Home Depot for a razor blade and holder and skip the breakdown.


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