# What are your cleaning schedules?



## jeff12 (Oct 21, 2011)

Cleaning schedules or cleaning processes?


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## Asami (Aug 9, 2011)

My fry tank is only 10 gallons and I am always shocked how much waste my seven baby mbuna's produce. I vac the sand and change about 20-30% of the water weekly.

I typically clean my 20 gallon catfish tank once a week with a 20-30% water change. They are pretty tidy so it's really cleaning the sand and removing algae that is bothering me.

For my 60 gallon African Cichlid tank the filters (Fluval 405 and 305) and 2 Hydor Koralia circulation pumps seem to do a good job removing all the waste so I don't really have to do much spot cleaning, just scrapping off algae from the tank walls so I can see the fish nice and clear. I also change about 35% of the water weekly.


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## ChoxRox (Sep 8, 2011)

10g fry tank- Every other day or as needed; about a 15-20%.

My two 55g and 120g get a 20% change weekly.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

50% to 75% weekly water change with full gravel vacuum each time.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I have peacocks and haps with pool filter sand. I have individual rocks stacked a few inches apart from each other pushed all the way to the glass on the bottom and at least a few inches from all sides of the tank. I don't have any stacked rocks at all. This allows me to vacuum up the poop and other waste very easily as I can see it all and can get to it all without issue.

Now...I have OCD so that explains most of that! 

I do 70-80% water changes every 3-4 days and clean my filters once a month rotating cleanings every two weeks.


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## GoofBoy (Jul 3, 2007)

75%+ every week to 10 days or so, depends on travel schedule.

I have two canister filters on each tank I'll do one on each tank every 2-3 months or when the mood hits.


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## sdraiders619 (Mar 4, 2012)

man u guys change that much water each week?! isnt that bad for the fush? :-?


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## mamospreng (Apr 26, 2011)

I change 50% weekly. And vacuum at least once every other week (every week depending on my tank setup that week and water flow) and use water straight from the tap using finger to even temp. Putting declor in during Filling. I think that's more or less how everyone does it no?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

sdraiders619 said:


> man u guys change that much water each week?! isnt that bad for the fush? :-?


No....it is good for the fish. As long as water going in is same chemistry and temp wise or within reason then you are good to go. I probably don't need to change 75% every 3-4 days but I want my fish to remain healthy and live in clean water.


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## prov356 (Sep 20, 2006)

sdraiders619 said:


> man u guys change that much water each week?! isnt that bad for the fush? :-?


It's not bad for the fish, but I don't find it necessary myself to change that much. Not everyone changes that much. Depends on stocking and feeding. Let nitrates be your guide. If nitrates are under control, the water is fine IME.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

My tank is heavily stocked with trophs and petros. I have plants to help control the nitrates but I still change 50% of the water twice per week with a substrate vacuum every time. I have two canisters on the tank and clean the mechanical media in them every few months on an alternating schedule. I also siphon out the sand substrate, rinse it and put it back in every few months.

Maybe I could get away with doing less but I kind of like doing the cleaning.


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## Jmanolinsky (Jun 4, 2010)

My tank is overstocked. Every Saturday, I remove everything from the tank and vacuum the substrate while changing out about 75% of the water. I also have a few plastic plants that I soak in bleach water while cleaning the tank. Once you have all the cleaning gear out anyway it's no more work to replace 75% of the water than it is to replace 25% of it. Just takes a little bit longer, but it is worth it. Nothing like sitting back and looking at the pristene tank when I am all done.


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## mgreen44 (Dec 27, 2011)

50% every week without fail and my fish are so happy after. Every other week I change the rocks around to shake things up a little. :fish:


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## TrashmanNYC (Dec 10, 2007)

DJRansome said:


> 50% to 75% weekly water change with full gravel vacuum each time.


+1
And sometimes ill do a 25% change in the middle of the week as well.


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## brinkles (Jan 30, 2011)

If you haven't changed the water in 6 months, then change 75%, you might kill them because the chemistry will have changed in the tank to be much different than the tap. If you were to do 100% daily, the water would be identical and your fish would be very happy and healthy!

I've actually seen them spawn while the tank was refilling!

50% or so weeky is a happy medium for most people. There's some balance to strike between clean water; and excess labor and cost.

I personally do about 50% weekly and 70% weekly on my fry tank, but I'll occasionally do around 80% on the big tank if I need to catch fish, then let it go an extra week.


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## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

i personally do around 40-50% twice or three times weekly. along with that i clean the sponge filters weekly, each canister is biweekly, and i pull apart the rockery once a month to make sure i didnt leave any waste ( get as much as i can when i do a water change)


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Anthraxx8500 said:


> i personally do around 40-50% twice or three times weekly. along with that i clean the sponge filters weekly, each canister is biweekly, and i pull apart the rockery once a month to make sure i didnt leave any waste ( get as much as i can when i do a water change)


LOL....I have met my match!!


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## Anthraxx8500 (Feb 11, 2011)

water is included in the monthly rent so its not a problem. plus i dont like a dirty tank . funny thing is despite all this work it seems its always dirty


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Anthraxx8500 said:


> water is included in the monthly rent so its not a problem. plus i dont like a dirty tank . funny thing is despite all this work it seems its always dirty


Yep...I know how you feel.


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## Pizzle (May 24, 2011)

You folks are hardcore. I change 50% every other week and rinse filter material in tank water once a month.


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## lilcountrygal (Dec 27, 2011)

I change 50% weekly and do a thorough vaccuum each time. Once a month or month and a half I remove all the rock work and vacuum everything while I change 50% water. Clean out my filters about every month and a half or two as well.


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## SoDakJeep (Mar 21, 2009)

I change water at least once a month and sometimes when I am lazy I just add water to fill the tank back to the top. When I do change water its around 50% or so I have no problems with fish and the water is always crystal clear. *** done this for over 2 yrs now so I really dont think I am doing anything wrong and it all seems to be working fine. :fish:


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## JOHN/VAL (Aug 4, 2011)

I change 40% of water weekly and also vacuum gravel same time- we have 125/90 gallon tanks. I run these filters on tanks -FX5 & 305 on 125 gal and 2 405s on 90gal, the filters are cleaned every 60 days, water is spotless- you would almost think there is no water in tanks it is so clear. I feed fish twice daily and provide zuchini with pellets for large pleco in the 125 gallon tank, he is waiting for his food every night!!! Fish are healthy-other than adding 1 fish last week to an established 90 gallon tank and they (fish) promptly killed it. Will not make that mistake again. Fish are at our mercy- no different than our dog, takes 30-40 min weekly to service tanks.


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## Vancitycam (Mar 1, 2012)

I don't really think there is any one perfect way. All depends on whats in the tanks and size and how many and what not and how much food and also filtration and water loss plays into it aswell. Me personally I change 20% weekly and on the forth week rinse my foams and swap out one of the three trays on rotation. It really depends on What ur fish are used to they can adapt to many various conditions just don't do anything out of the ordinary or durastic to shock them.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Some change water according to nitrate level (higher if your stocking is high, etc.) and some change a minimum of 50% weekly regardless of nitrates because the nitrate test is just a measure of toxin build-up...low nitrates does not mean there are no other toxins in your tank. :thumb:


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## Ragincajun (Nov 29, 2011)

20 gallon fry tank 25% 2 or 3times a week. 210 main tank 60% weekly. 30 gal community 33% weekly.


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## Vgimlet (Mar 11, 2012)

The 130 gallon cichlid gets a 30-50% water change weekly. Vacuumed about once a month.

The 55 gallon gets a 50% water change weekly, sometimes twice weekly (not a cichlid tank - it is a mostly carnivorous brackish tank) and vaccumed weekly.

The 15 gallon baby tank gets a 30 % change weekly.

filter stuff - depends on how other levels are doing. If nitrates are running higher we do the filters, if not we leave it alone. Sometimes less is better.  So, maybe once ever month or six.


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