I thought you were hardly ever supposed to change the filter

Jan 8, 2018
2:41:08pm

buffgato Starter

Granted it's been a while since I've had an aquarium...but all your nitrogen fixing bacteria live in the filter, so keeping them alive is kind of a big deal.

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buffgato

Bio page: buffgato
Joined: Jan 12, 2015
Last login: May 10, 2020
Total posts: 11,644 (41 FO)

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Messages

Author

Time

Any of you fish tank experts

Bob Vance All-American

1/8/18 2:34pm

The fish may just be being overfed - too much food leaves leftovers and creates

cougarsnooty

1/8/18 2:36pm

This could be the problem. When I try to siphon the bottom, with the water siphon kit, the amount of gunk stirred

Bob Vance

1/8/18 2:55pm

You are limited in the kind of fish that you can keep because you only have a 5

Submariner

1/8/18 3:37pm

Definitely try feeding less. I'd go with a few flakes a day for a week and see

cracka

1/8/18 3:52pm

I’m not an expert but when we did that when my kids were younger

mosterlow

1/8/18 2:37pm

I thought you were hardly ever supposed to change the filter

buffgato

1/8/18 2:41pm

it's the sucker fish. a girl at petco said they do more clouding than cleaning

BlueFrog

1/8/18 2:46pm

And if it is the cute little Chinese Algae Eater they sell at Petsmart, in a

Submariner

1/8/18 3:09pm

They shouldn't even be bought for cleaning...

Tokolosh

1/8/18 3:18pm

RE: They shouldn't even be bought for cleaning...

BlueFrog

1/8/18 3:46pm

When you say change the tank, what do you mean exactly? You shouldn't be

cracka

1/8/18 2:49pm

Yep, I think my old schedule was something like a 40% water change every 2 weeks

buffgato

1/8/18 2:51pm

I mean I straight up pour the entire tank into a colander and when the fish are done flopping around, I pick them

Bob Vance

1/8/18 2:59pm

I wouldn't disturb the rocks either. You kill the important bacteria when

bluebooks

1/8/18 3:24pm

That's why you are really supposed to cycle the tank before you get fish but

cracka

1/8/18 3:50pm

You kill good bacteria when you rinse filters and rock in tap water.

SportsRoad

1/8/18 3:59pm

40% weekly is the norm. It is very hard to keep a 5 gallon tank nice. Just not

Nat Gas Man

1/8/18 3:32pm

Do you still have your 135? What kind of fish did you have?

Submariner

1/8/18 3:39pm

I still have the tank, but don't have it set up. I managed a fish store while in

Nat Gas Man

1/8/18 3:47pm

My son raised his turtles for a year and a half in a cichlid tank. It was

Submariner

1/8/18 3:53pm

I have always over filtered my larger tanks too...

Tokolosh

1/8/18 3:40pm

<< Deleted >>

Sactown Cougar

1/8/18 3:45pm

I change about 50% of the water in my 120 gallon tank once a month

Sactown Cougar

1/8/18 3:46pm

Larger aquariums are easier to maintain

SportsRoad

1/8/18 4:00pm

Do you have a good bottom feeder?

Stringer Bell

1/8/18 4:54pm

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