Water/cleaning gravel

[JadeandScott]

We need to get a gravel vacuum but are unsure which one to buy, as there is so many! Could someone please recommend one for us?

 

[JadeandScott]

Also... We need to get a bubble rock and again there are so many. We don't fully understand why we need one but have been told they help the fish could someone please explain them to us?

 

[FishyBusiness]

Welcome! I have 2 gravel vacuums. I have just a basic one I actually just got from Walmart for $10 and I use that on my 20 gallon tank. I also have an Aqueon water changer for my 90. I love it. No buckets required, just hook it up to the faucet and siphon the gravel. Flip a switch and it fills the tank. It was too hard using buckets for the 90. A PWC took FOREVER and I was tired. A 20 gallon is just a couple buckets. Depends on what you want...

As for the bubbler, it adds oxygen to the aquarium. Not the bubbles themselves but when they break on the surface. I don't have any in my tanks because my filters are strong enough there's good movement on the top and my fish aren't "gasping" for air. They never hurt though. They add a nice view if you have one.

 

[librarygirl]

What size tank? As FishyBusiness said, larger tanks do well with a water changer that attaches to your faucet so there's no need to lug buckets back and forth. If it's a smaller tank, just about any siphon will do. Personally I like ones that have a pump on them as it's easier to get the flow going, otherwise it can be difficult. Something like this is good: Top Fin® Aquarium Gravel Vacuum - Aquarium Maintenance - Fish - PetSmart

As for the air stone/bubbler; it can help provide surface agitation which promotes oxygen exchage. Most filters have water that breaks the surface and usually that's good enough but if you like the look of a bubbler you can certainly get one. In tanks where temps are high (e.g. treating for certain diseases or keeping fish that like very warm temps) the air stones can help with more oxygen exchange as there's less oxygen in warmer tanks.

 

[JadeandScott]

We have a 23 litre tank we have had problems with the fish so are trying to add anything that might help.

 

[Nimo]

We have a 23 litre tank we have had problems with the fish so are trying to add anything that might help.

Is you're tank cycled?
How long has your tank been running?
What kind of problems have you had?
What is your stock?
Do you test your water with liquid tests such as API master test kit?
If so what are your readings?
How often are you doing partial water changes?
Answers for these questions will help us better answer if the air stone is needed and maybe allow us to help with the problem your fish is having.
As for the air stone it has already been stated that they help with oxygen exchange. In an uncycled tank they help a lot because during the cycling process ammonia and nitrites can hinder the fishes ability to absorb oxygen thru their gills so the more oxygen you can put in the water the better of they are.

 

[JadeandScott]

Its been running for about 4-5 weeks.
We have had a Molly die and a guppy. We thought it was the water but after testing it in the shop we think we have bought a sick fish
The reading indicated a tiny amount of ammonia but everything else was perfect.
We now have left, two neon tetras and a Molly
We are awaiting the delivery of the tester kit.
We did 50% yesterday and doing to do the same today then 10% every other day.
The tetras have lost some colour but after the water changes seem to pick up a little.

 

[Nimo]

Its been running for about 4-5 weeks.
We have had a Molly die and a guppy. We thought it was the water but after testing it in the shop we think we have bought a sick fish
The reading indicated a tiny amount of ammonia but everything else was perfect.
We now have left, two neon tetras and a Molly
We are awaiting the delivery of the tester kit.
We did 50% yesterday and doing to do the same today then 10% every other day.
The tetras have lost some colour but after the water changes seem to pick up a little.

Ok your are doing a fish in cycle. That is a big chore but you can get it done. You really need that test kit ASAP. Until you get it in I would recommend at least. 25-30% at minimum water changes daily 50% today will be fine then no less than 25% daily until you get that tester.
I can't post links from my phone but look up fish in cycle on line and it will help you allot. The more you know and understand about the nitrogen cycle in new tanks the better off you will be.
Any ammonia or nitrite in your water can be deadly to some fish and will make others sick. So water changes are a big help with keeping those in check.

 

[Borderlesscott]

I don't personally see you needing a bubbler with that stock level, just make sure your filter puts a ripple out on the surface, doesn't have to be a tsunami going down the tank.

 

[JadeandScott]

Iv been reading up constantly about everything I can we ordered the kit on Monday so if should be here soon!
We will keep doing the water changes as you said. We wouldn't of got any fish had we been informed by the shop that we had to do all this. We have learnt a lot of things the hard way due to their bad advise so we are trying to save what we have whilst getting the tank right

 

[Miss.Jo]

I would do your water changes but avoid cleaning the gravel until your tank is fully cycled unless there's excessive food left over, which brings me to my next point, I would try to feed them only once a day and very little, it won't hurt them, a hungry fishy is happier than a sick one

 

[christine2012]

I would do your water changes but avoid cleaning the gravel until your tank is fully cycled unless there's excessive food left over, which brings me to my next point, I would try to feed them only once a day and very little, it won't hurt them, a hungry fishy is happier than a sick one

Out of curiosity why do you advise against gravel cleaning?

 

[Miss.Jo]

To be clear, I'm not talking about surface gravel cleaning, I'm talking about actually wedging the vacuum in the gravel and doing it that way, going over the surface of the gravel is great

Same principal as the filters, when I first started out with fishkeeping I would (not always, but often enough to notice a trend) have an ammonia spike if I did gravel cleaning as some of the healthy bacteria ends up underneath the gravel, and no I'm not referring to gravel filters. It depends on the amount of fish and size of tank of course, but I've cycled a lot of tanks both for myself and friends in the last few years and I've made quite a few mental notes and this is a big one in my experience, once the bacteria in the media is strong enough gravel cleaning is a must but I advise against it until then, especially with fish-in cycling, it's simply too disruptive to nitrifying bacteria. Just personal experience/suggestion. I'm sure many people do it with great success or simply don't notice a difference, but I have

 

[Ram897]

Also, are you using water conditioner to treat your tap water? Very important to make the tap water safe for your fish.

 

[JadeandScott]

Yes we have been using tap safe. We are going to buy one of the vacuums as we find the water gets very cloudy when cleaning because of the left over food etc although we do only feed them small amounts once a day n always have done, but the reason the gravel was so bad was the shop told us not to clean the water out! Obviously we now know that is ridiculous! So are trying to fix it...

 

[Nimo]

Unfortunately the shops just want to make a sale in most cases and the employees are NOT in most cases very informed about what needs done. Most of them have no clue about how to cycle a tank or what size tank is adequate for what fish.
The responsibility of learning the hard way falls on the person who buys the tank and fish after having been given bad or not enough information about what is needed, or what has to be done. Allot of people give up once they find out how much work can be involved to do things the proper way for happy healthy fish or end up with dead fish because of being given bad information.
The best way for us to learn is ask questions but we need people like the ones on this forum that know and care about the fish to answer them.

 

[Ram897]

Very well put Nimo. I almost quit when I had everything going and struggling with fish-in after getting bad advice but glad I didn't because now I have beautiful fish keeping my pug company!