Water changes and filter cleaning

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Ckingz77

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
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Hi there had a couple questions regarding water changes.I have a 50 gallon tank with a large pleco and a bumble bee cichlid.Right now I'm doing water changes biweekly changing approx 25-30 percent.Just bought a test kit it tells me ph 7.6 ammonia 0 nitrite 0 and nitrate 80 ppm.Can someone tell me if these results are good or bad.Also I have a aqua clear 110 filter how often or if ever should I rinse the sponge.Thanks for any help.





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Those nitrates are high, you want around 20ppm. I am not familiar with that filter, but if you have a biological media like biomax I would rinse the sponges in tank water every other week to clean out the junk

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Water Chemistry

Hi there had a couple questions regarding water changes.I have a 50 gallon tank with a large pleco and a bumble bee cichlid.Right now I'm doing water changes biweekly changing approx 25-30 percent.Just bought a test kit it tells me ph 7.6 ammonia 0 nitrite 0 and nitrate 80 ppm.Can someone tell me if these results are good or bad.Also I have a aqua clear 110 filter how often or if ever should I rinse the sponge.Thanks for any help.

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Hello C...

Your nitrates are high. Though nitrates are at the end of the nitrogen cycle, which means they aren't as toxic as other forms like ammonia and nitrite, the nitrates should be lower. To get them there, you need to be more aggressive with your water change routine. Start working toward changing 50 or 60 percent of the water weekly. The more water you change, the better the water chemistry. It wouldn't hurt to clean your Hagen filter more often. I clean my Hagens every water change and squeeze out and rinse the media in some of the old tank water.

There's no secret to healthy fish, you simply keep them in clean water conditions all the time.

B
 
Thanks for the advice now I feel more confident I can get my water better.


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