Okay...I Have HAD It With Water Changes...

[reefdiver]

Hey Osage you have to look at your tank as a canvas and paint it the way you want it and makes you happy. It suppose to make you relax, but i know that is not the case. As too your problem with the siphon my last resort would be to go to the local shop where you purchased it and have them demonstrate how to use it.

 

[Osage_Winter]

+1 on the python. I used to do water changes like you do with the gravel vac and 5g buckets. I swear the python is worth it, you can even get extensions so no matter how far away your sink is from your tank, you should be able to do it. It is well worth it, especially for a 60gal.

When u gravel vac do you stir the gravel/sand? If so, don't; try to keep the stirring to a minimum. So for a deep gravel vac just push the vac into the gravel and wiggle a bit then lift and repeat for the next section. The nice thing about the python is that it has a lot more suction power than just a gravel vac (which works based on gravity, this is why you need to keep the level of the water going out below the level of the water going in and why unless you fill the tube with water as was suggested, you need to suck on one end then immediately lower the output end below the level of the input to get the syphon going). I digressed........python having more suction power will not only help do your PWC faster but also there will be less debris floating around since more of it gets sucked in. I agree with everyone else that you have a lot less hassle with a python.

Regarding your substrate, there is something called a substrate flattener, I haven't tried it myself but don't see why it shouldn't work, here's a link to one they sell on ebay so you can see what it looks like:

Aquascaping Tools - Substrate Flattener ADA style - eBay (item 260651088700 end time Dec-13-10 05:33:53 PST)

Hope this helps

Thank you -- I can't believe they actually make a substrate flattener! Still, I don't know how well that would work with my tank full of scattered ornaments and artificial planting...

 

[Osage_Winter]

Ohhh I forgot to mention this on the last post, but I also have those cheap aqueon filters and just rinse the cartdrige in old DECHLORINATED tank water, it seems like it will fall apart a lot earlier than my other cartdriges on the marineland filter. So, since you have both the aqueon and the AC, just change the cartdrige when it falls apart and alternate between the filters.

Do you mean take the actual sack (with the carbon in it) and rinse it in water? Until it turns more clear than black?

And this can't be done in tap water at all? I thought the BB grows on those plastic "bio grids" on the Aqueons...

 

[reefdiver]

if you use tap water the chlorine will the BB.

 

[Osage_Winter]

I know that, but on these types of filters, it is said that the BB colonies are on these blue plastic "bio grids" that sit on the lip of the return fall...

Aqueon » Products » Aqueon QuietFlow Power Filter?

Click on any of the filters for an enlarged image, and look at those blue "grids" that sit on the waterfall return lip...

Supposedly, that's where the BB grows primarily on these units -- so that's why I was thinking it was safe just to rinse the pouches with tap water and do a Prime dip if necessary...

 

[reefdiver]

Well technically they live in anything that is cover by water. I usually wash all the plastic parts of my filters in tap water, then I place it the dechlorinated water and set it back up.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

The nice thing about the python is that it has a lot more suction power than just a gravel vac (which works based on gravity, this is why you need to keep the level of the water going out below the level of the water going in and why unless you fill the tube with water as was suggested, you need to suck on one end then immediately lower the output end below the level of the input to get the syphon going). I digressed........python having more suction power will not only help do your PWC faster but also there will be less debris floating around since more of it gets sucked in. I agree with everyone else that you have a lot less hassle with a python.

You can use a python 2 different ways: the first way (as designed) is to hook it to the sink at the same, lower, or slightly higher level than the tank, along with the connector and turn the water on, which sucks the water out of the tank (while also running up your water bill. I do not prefer this method.

Method #2 is just by using it as a really, really long siphon hose. I run mine to the toilet around the corner and it actually ends up with less suction power than the hand siphon, but I like that because it stirs up less gravel, and I can control everything better (I have a planted tank). My gravel hardly gets "bumpy" but whatever does gets evened out by the fish in a couple days.

All that being said, I really think you are overthinking this whole thing and getting hung up on a bunch of little stuff. You seem to be getting extremely frustrated over minor things like gravel and where the decor is, when it takes seconds to correct these things.

I and others told you about 6 times on another thread to ditch that POS siphon that you have and you are still using it. I don't get it.

 

[Osage_Winter]

My gravel hardly gets "bumpy" but whatever does gets evened out by the fish in a couple days.

Well, mine does -- and my fish, while constantly busy substrate diggers, don't end up evening out the gravel at all.

All that being said, I really think you are overthinking this whole thing and getting hung up on a bunch of little stuff. You seem to be getting extremely frustrated over minor things like gravel and where the decor is, when it takes seconds to correct these things.

I'm just venting because it doesn't take me "seconds" to correct any of this -- the decor isn't anywhere where it used to be prior to the change, and that's rubbing me the wrong way. I spent almost all night trying to get the plant that blows beneath the AquaClear's current to stay in place since it was uprooted from the water change -- so please, no offense, but please don't tell me that I am "overthinking this whole thing" because some of us put tremendous time and effort into making something look a certain way, beyond the parameters of water change benefits and the like.

On top of that, some hardware doesn't function the same anymore since this change -- namely, the bubble wands, which seemingly stopped bubbling in certain areas, evidently by the excessive pressure caused by the downpouring new water after the change took place. A leak has sprung somewhere in the stupid connected wands, again evidenced by a massive amount of stream coming from one notch on the wand.

I and others told you about 6 times on another thread to ditch that POS siphon that you have and you are still using it. I don't get it.

You and others may have told me to ditch this "six times" on this and other threads, but I was getting some input from others who own this particular vac, and they were leading me in new directions in terms of methods I could try -- conversely, I didn't really know that the "up and down" pumping method suggested by the instructions on this POS syphon was actually not used by most who own this product. And that was something that didn't surface until I heard back from these owners.

 

[Osage_Winter]

Well technically they live in anything that is cover by water. I usually wash all the plastic parts of my filters in tap water, then I place it the dechlorinated water and set it back up.

Fair enough, but if most of the colonies of BB are living in these bio grids before the water return, can't it be assumed that rinsing the cart pads in tap water really won't harm anything?

BTW...Did you click on the link to those filters?

 

[reefdiver]

I did look at your link. I would have to say that it will affect since that is where more of the cleaning process is going on. That is where the water is being polished.

 

[Osage_Winter]

Do you mean it's being polished at that blue bio grid?

What exactly is "polishing" anyway?

 

[reefdiver]

just another word for cleaning. It removes the the bad stuff that is suspended in the water. For example the BB in the gravel will remove some of the fish matter, but you still have stuff that has settled.

 

[bluerose]

Osage - You want as much beneficial bacteria as possible. Doesn't matter where it is. It grows on any surface, basically - ornaments, plants, substrate, filter pads, bio-balls/grids, the walls of your tank.

Where it accumulates the most - substrate and filter media. ALL filter media. It's designed to have lots of surface area for the bacteria to cling to.

You have goldies, so you need as much ammonia-munching power as you can get... so dechlor water or tank water rinses only. No need to get it super clean - just a few swishes to loosen any "gunk". Kind of like peeling the fuzz off the lint trap in your clothes dryer.

Polishing = trapping any free-floating gunk to have clear(er) water. Nicer for your fishies too.

 

[Osage_Winter]

just another word for cleaning. It removes the the bad stuff that is suspended in the water. For example the BB in the gravel will remove some of the fish matter, but you still have stuff that has settled.

Just asking because I kept hearing about Seachem's Purigen which is supposed to be a powerful "polisher"...

 

[Osage_Winter]

Osage - You want as much beneficial bacteria as possible. Doesn't matter where it is. It grows on any surface, basically - ornaments, plants, substrate, filter pads, bio-balls/grids, the walls of your tank.

Where it accumulates the most - substrate and filter media. ALL filter media. It's designed to have lots of surface area for the bacteria to cling to.

You have goldies, so you need as much ammonia-munching power as you can get... so dechlor water or tank water rinses only. No need to get it super clean - just a few swishes to loosen any "gunk". Kind of like peeling the fuzz off the lint trap in your clothes dryer.

Polishing = trapping any free-floating gunk to have clear(er) water. Nicer for your fishies too.

So, you're suggesting just taking the whole cartridge with the white floss packs and all, and just rinsing them?

 

[XimeD]

So, you're suggesting just taking the whole cartridge with the white floss packs and all, and just rinsing them?

I just rinse the "white" floss pack. As previsouly mentioned the BB will attach themselves to surfaces, porous surfaces are better because there is more surface area for the bacteria to attach themselves to. The floss stuff is pretty "spongy" so there will be bacteria in the white floss too (as well as the blue biofilter cartdrige) and that is why I rinse it in old tank, dechlorinated, water (tap water will kill your BB).

The floss seems to get a lot dirtier than the blue biofilter, I rinse the floss every 3 weeks and the blue biofilter as needed, maybe once every 2 months or so. Don't worry about the activated charcoal, it doesn't do much in an established aquarium. I only use when I want to remove some chemical from the water (ie a medication, or tannins from driftwood)

Also that flattener I mentioned has two end a wide one and a thin one to work around plants/decor but like I said I haven't tried it myself.

 

[Osage_Winter]

I just rinse the "white" floss pack. As previsouly mentioned the BB will attach themselves to surfaces, porous surfaces are better because there is more surface area for the bacteria to attach themselves to. The floss stuff is pretty "spongy" so there will be bacteria in the white floss too (as well as the blue biofilter cartdrige) and that is why I rinse it in old tank, dechlorinated, water (tap water will kill your BB).

Okay. Thanks for clearing that up for me.

The floss seems to get a lot dirtier than the blue biofilter, I rinse the floss every 3 weeks and the blue biofilter as needed, maybe once every 2 months or so. Don't worry about the activated charcoal, it doesn't do much in an established aquarium. I only use when I want to remove some chemical from the water (ie a medication, or tannins from driftwood)

But, just still keep it in the cartridge pouch, right? Even if it's exhausted and useless?

Also that flattener I mentioned has two end a wide one and a thin one to work around plants/decor but like I said I haven't tried it myself.

Thanks again.

Someone had suggested, with regard to rinsing out the Aqueon filter cartridges -- and now I am uncertain if it was on this site or another I am active on -- that I could actually just rinse these things under the pressure spray from a kitchen sink gun, and then do a Prime "dip" to kind of "save" the BB that was rinsed with the tap water gun...

What do you think?

 

[mfdrookie516]

A bit of a distance from you -- Southern Nevada.

Close to Las Vegas? I know nothing about nevada, but I do know there's at least one member in Las vegas who I'm sure would be glad to come over and try and help out

 

[iDream]

WOW this thread has turned into a big rally!

btw nice retro bucs avatar! Go Bucs!

 

[XimeD]

Okay. Thanks for clearing that up for me.



But, just still keep it in the cartridge pouch, right? Even if it's exhausted and useless?



Thanks again.

Someone had suggested, with regard to rinsing out the Aqueon filter cartridges -- and now I am uncertain if it was on this site or another I am active on -- that I could actually just rinse these things under the pressure spray from a kitchen sink gun, and then do a Prime "dip" to kind of "save" the BB that was rinsed with the tap water gun...

What do you think?

Yeah, leave the carbon in the pouch.

Personally, I wouldn't do the rinsing in tap water and prime dip. That might save some bacteria but I am not positive it would save most of it. My philosophy: why risk it? However, since you are running two filters on that tank, even if you killed off some of your bacteria you might not see any ammonia/nitrite spikes (this is just speculation on my part, I haven't tried this and wouldn't recommend it)..... but again why risk it?

I hope all that you've been though doesn't put u off this hobby .