220 gallon - syphoning detritus

[Mark Webb]

I am considering keeping Discus in a planted tank 75cm deep. Its pretty difficult to carry out maintenance so I am planning low maintenance planting. Is it absolutely essential to remove the fish waste in a tank this size, considering that the large water mass dilutes toxins?

[josephl]

I have a 240 gallon with 2 canister filters. I just flush the filters occasionally but more importantly do very regular water changes.

[zamboniMan]

It's going to depend on how many fish you have in there. When you do water changes siphoning the waste out takes time and makes it go faster. It also depend on how densely planted your tank is. If it's really densely planted then its not as much of a concern but if it's hardly planted it's more of a concern.

Hope that helps,
Josh

[Mark Webb]

I have a 240 gallon with 2 canister filters. I just flush the filters occasionally but more importantly do very regular water changes.

Thanks for reply - How often do you do water changes, and how much?

[Mark Webb]

It's going to depend on how many fish you have in there. When you do water changes siphoning the waste out takes time and makes it go faster. It also depend on how densely planted your tank is. If it's really densely planted then its not as much of a concern but if it's hardly planted it's more of a concern.

Hope that helps,
Josh

Thanks for reply - I intend to stock with the number of fish to suit my maintenance regime. Will plant fairly densely, but with a narrow back drop of high growing plants and plants in front all lower level to allow for plenty of open swimming space.

[zamboniMan]

Thanks for reply - I intend to stock with the number of fish to suit my maintenance regime. Will plant fairly densely, but with a narrow back drop of high growing plants and plants in front all lower level to allow for plenty of open swimming space.

If you don't have lots of free time to do WC's then obviously stock lower...

Oh and make sure you post lots of pics :)

[nikond70s]

if its moderately to heavily planted i dont think you should worry about the poops, as its fertilizer for the plants. if you do lots of water change that should take care of it anyways. but if you want to be super clean you can siphone the poops and or if you have time and not be lazy. in my planted 135g i used to siphone out the poops cuz it sometimes buggs me seeing the craps on the ground. but now i never do and i hardly see it on the ground anymore i just do 1-2 water change a week.

[josephl]

Thanks for reply - How often do you do water changes, and how much?

I try and do 50% daily, with a python of course. It might seem excessive for a tank that big but even with all that filteration, the fish seem to color up nicely after each water change