We are very very new and clueless. Please be kind as I am admitting up front that we are making mistakes by the dozen, I'm sure, but would like to change that. Our son received a very small tank (10 gallons) as a gift so we've been thrown into this a bit. There are 3 neon tetras and 2 guppies (yellow with orange tails--not sure what the name is?) plus 2 african dwarf frogs.
I'm confused about cleaning and water changes. We have this yucky brown film that has slowly built up on the various plants inside, plus on the glass, etc. It comes off easily with wiping/rinsing...but I don't think we are supposed to be fully taking everything out of the aquarium and cleaning it and putting it back together each month, right? My husband has done that twice and I really need some concrete info to show him about what we should be doing to clean the tank--that's how I ended up here.
I've been doing 20-25% water changes each week and a filter change once a month. But the water is always pretty yucky looking and the brown filmy stuff comes back.
We got a gravel vac from a pet store, but it was really tough to work and didn't seem to clean well. This is one of the times when my husband said that he gives up and just want to take everyone and everything out and clean it.
Can someone recommend a good gravel vac, and give me some details on how the process should work? Ie, how often, how do you vacuum the gravel with the fish still in the tank, are you supposed to be taking all plants/decorations out for cleaning each week before vacuuming or no?
I'm confused about cleaning and water changes. We have this yucky brown film that has slowly built up on the various plants inside, plus on the glass, etc. It comes off easily with wiping/rinsing...but I don't think we are supposed to be fully taking everything out of the aquarium and cleaning it and putting it back together each month, right? My husband has done that twice and I really need some concrete info to show him about what we should be doing to clean the tank--that's how I ended up here.
I've been doing 20-25% water changes each week and a filter change once a month. But the water is always pretty yucky looking and the brown filmy stuff comes back.
We got a gravel vac from a pet store, but it was really tough to work and didn't seem to clean well. This is one of the times when my husband said that he gives up and just want to take everyone and everything out and clean it.
Can someone recommend a good gravel vac, and give me some details on how the process should work? Ie, how often, how do you vacuum the gravel with the fish still in the tank, are you supposed to be taking all plants/decorations out for cleaning each week before vacuuming or no?