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ChienHsu
01-06-2003, 05:22 PM
Hi!

I do 50% WC everyday at the night. Each time I siphon out anything at the bottom of the tank. In the morning, I also siphon out any feces at the bottom. But, it seems to me that I can never catch up what my discus can produce. I always see feces at the bottom.

I have seen many pictures in this forums and all of them show a very clean bottom. I have also visit John's (BoxerDad) home and saw his tanks have spotless bottom. I just wonder how you did it? ???


Can I have some suggestions?

Thanks

Chien

Richman
01-06-2003, 08:34 PM
Really, the answer is simple.
Make sure you siphon the waste just before taking pictures and before company comes. Sometimes I even sweep my floor also! ;) ;D

BlueTurquoise
01-06-2003, 10:14 PM
That's about it! I am not sure whether it is possible to keep a 100% poop free bottom... esp if you feed them often and lots...

Chong

WrxAnt
01-06-2003, 10:43 PM
Guys,

Apart from the Feces I tend to get a dust on the bottom of my tank.

I'm feeding my 4 young ones Tetra Colorbits. 3 times per day.

And I vacuum every night with a gravel cleaner... yes I know its a BB tank :)

Its a similar colour to the colorbits but it normally encompasses the whole bottom of the tank.... 30"x14"

And it requires a lot of suction from my gravel cleaner to get off....

Any ideas?

Cheers
Antony

BlueTurquoise
01-06-2003, 11:05 PM
I know what you mean, like a powdery stuff lying on the bottom of the tank, i get that too... other than continual hard work I am not sure what you can do. Try scrubbing it with an aquarium cleaning brush once a week? Change diet to worms?

Chong

BlueTurquoise
01-06-2003, 11:08 PM
Nice car by the way. No filters for the breeding tanks?

WrxAnt
01-06-2003, 11:08 PM
Chong,

Putting the gravel cleaner flush with the bottom of the tank and skimming along the bottom of the tank that way seems to pick up most of this dust type stuff.

Just wondering what it was. Coz they eat EVERYTHING that goes into that tank! I'm feeding 3 times per day and at first they wouldn't eat while I was in the room. Now after 2 week they are at the top of the tank begging for food!

Cheers
Ant

WrxAnt
01-06-2003, 11:09 PM
Chong,

I'm only running one tank at the moment. Using the bottom for water aging.

Top tank I'm running a sponge...

But I'm thinking of going and buying a cheap internal power filter... resun or the like.

We have a LFS that sells those cheaper brand filters at a reasonable price.

Cheers
Ant

BlueTurquoise
01-06-2003, 11:29 PM
Cool, think the best for breeding rack is Hydrosponges, they are very good but tough to source and even if you do are ludicrously expensive for some reason.

Anyway as for the dusty things, I'm not saying this is it but; I had that problem when I had a planaria outbreak. Planaria a very tiny white worms that cling onto hard surfaces such as the inside of your glass tank. When they die off they become tiny "dusty" particles on the bottom of your tank. They are relatively harmless to your fish so don't be overly alarmed but they are a good indicator that a tank is perhaps not very clean or water peramters are not right.

To check for planaria, when you do a water change next, drain the water out and with the newly exposed glass, take a close look (and I mean a very close look, you may need a magnifying glass depending on your eyesight) but you will see small dots all over the inside of the glass. if you examine the dots closely theyare tiny white wriggling worms.

If this is the case then that is what is at the bottom of your tank which problably means 100% water change at some stage to reduce their numbers. I'll try to think of what else it could be but without looking at it straight I can't be 100% sure...

Chong

Carol_Roberts
01-07-2003, 12:08 AM
Take a white paper towel folded in forths, immerse your arm in the tank and wipe down every surface. ;) Don't forget the heater and cord.

Carol :heart1:

WrxAnt
01-07-2003, 12:12 AM
You mean to say I have to get wet?

LOL

My wife always laughs at me when I take my shirt off to clean the tanks...

She keeps saying "Ant you are cleaning the tank not going for a swim!"

All the stuff seems to come off the bottom fine with the Gravel cleaner pressed level to the glass...

But an extra wipe of the tank once a week couldn't hurt!

Thanks for the suggestion Carol.

Cheers
Ant

BlueTurquoise
01-07-2003, 01:33 AM
Oh yeah, you could do that too! do liek the 40,000 gal dude and don a wetsuite too! lol

Chong

ChienHsu
01-08-2003, 09:46 AM
Thanks. everyone.