Feed fish too much and changed food- water dirty.

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petlover

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Sep 8, 2005
Messages
7
Location
S. Indiana
While I was away for the holiday my husband fed the fish. He fed them too much and bought them more food- not the kind I usually buy -Wardley Essentials. I was gone about 6 days. When I got home the tank was cloudy and had a slime on everything- glass the castle and the filter. I cleaned the tank the day after I got back. I put in a new charcoal filter bag and it got better. I just cleaned the tank again today and there was still some slime. I put in a new sponge filter. My question is this: Is the new filters going to clear things up or should I be doing something else also.
Another question I have is that I would like to add some more gravel to the bottom of the tank. I have had the tank for about 1 year and the gravel seems to be disappearing. How do I do this? Obviously wash the gravel, but can the fish be in the tank or should I take them out for awhile? Any other things that I am not thinking of too. Thanks in advance of the help!
Petlover
 
Sorry forgot to say that I have a 20 gal. tank with two goldfish that are 6" long and one aquatic frog. The filter is Aqua Clear. Thanks
 
Okay, I can help with the second problem: Tell you husband, "DO NOT EAT THE GRAVEL!!!" :lol: But seriously, are you using something that is dissolving? Otherwise, it is probably just compacting. What I would do: Add about half of what you intend to add to one side of the tank only, and get that side settled. Wait a few days or a week for the fish to adjust to the fact that their environment has slightly changed. Then do the other half.
 
hmm... the slime to me actually sounds like it could be an algae but with out pictures im not sure. A gravel vac to pick up left over food would have got the solid stuff, and the change of the filter would have got the floating peices.

You have to be careful in this instance of an ammonia spike, due to two causes. #1 the excess food will break down which could cause a spike, #2 vacuming the gravel and changing the filter all at once can remove the good bacteria which feeds on the ammonia and neutrilizes it. Ammonia is harmful and can be fatal to fish. Do you have a test kit, because your tank readings could be very helpful in determining what is causing the slim.
 
!

When I cleaned the tack the first time I did half of the tank. Today when I cleaned it I did the other half. In the corner there was a lot of poop so I think that might have been the problem. However, I don't have a tester because I have never had a problem before. I am worried now though because I didn't know that you aren't supposed to change the filter and the water at the same time.
Sorry, I dont' have a camera to show you. The slime is mostly gone now. I will keep an eye on it though for the next cleaning. I was a little concerned with the amount of poop still in the tank, but I think that was because there was SO much behind one rock. The ONE place that I didn't clean last time. I think I might get an ammonia test to check that. Thanks
Good to know that I can just add the gravel slowly- thanks for the info there too !
 
You can change the filter and water at the same time, just not the entire filter. In the future, you don't have to replace any piece of the filter until it starts falling apart. Just rinse the charcoal bags in dechlorinated (or used tank water) water. Same thing with the sponge. It will keep the bacteria from dieing.

A great test kit is the AP Freshwater master Test Kit. It's pretty cheap from www.bigalsonline.com but I've noticed stores like PetsMart and PetCo are lowering their prices on the kit. Do not purchase test strips, they are not as accurate and can sometimes be downright wrong. Plus, they are way too expensive.
 
Thanks for the heads up on the tester- I would have bought the test stripes at Walmart.

Now as far as the filter- the charcoal and the sponge- you don't need new ones til they fall apart???
With the sponge I squeeze/ clean them once or twice before I pitch them about once a month. If they didn't come clean I thought they wouldn't catch the dirt/ poop etc any more. I do the same for the charcoal. So about once a month-sometimes a little longer, I would put in a new filter. That is what the box says to do too. Are they just trying to sell products?
 
you don't need new ones til they fall apart???
Nope, just wait until they fall apart. If they are both spotlessly clean then bacteria would be formed on them.

Are they just trying to sell products?
Absolutely. If you changed them every month like the package says, they woudl make a HECK of a lot more money than if you waited until about once every 4 months. :)
 
With the sponges...if they cannot get reasonably clean after squeezing them, then it's a good idea to replace it. The problem is, you shouldn't change all of them (if you have more than one) and the other media, gravel vac at the same time. Charcoal should be changed since it loses it's "active" state in 3-4 weeks. In any event, the bag itself becomes colonized by bacteria also.
 
Fishyfanatic - "You can change the filter and water at the same time, just not the entire filter. In the future, you don't have to replace any piece of the filter until it starts falling apart. Just rinse the charcoal bags in dechlorinated (or used tank water) water. Same thing with the sponge. It will keep the bacteria from dieing"

You are assuming that all of us have filters with more than one carbon bag or sponges. My HOB canister filter only has one sleeve thus a "change" means total loss :wink: unless of course we are rinsing it in used tank water, but that isn't what was said
 
I put in a new charcoal filter bag and it got better. I just cleaned the tank again today and there was still some slime. I put in a new sponge filter.

You are assuming that all of us have filters with more than one carbon bag or sponges.

Nope. Just going by what was posted. She has a charcoal bag and a sponge. Therefore only one should be cleaned at a time.
 
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