[AquaticLife] Breaking Down the Tank-Need Advise
You can clean the very dirty gravel with fresh water, just treat with dechlorinator first.
If you are too energetic with the gravel, you will kill the bio filter. Id probably siphon out as much crud as possible in your bucket, adding clean water treated with dechlor as required. And then maybe a swish or two in the chlorine-free water before it is put back.
The bacteria live mostly on the surface of the gravel where it is constantly oxygenated. You cant really keep the same layer on top when you remove and replace it.
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From: AquaticLife@yahoogroups.com [mailto:AquaticLife@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of N Taweel Sent: Sunday, July 13, 2008 7:35 PM To: AquaticLife@yahoogroups.com Subject: [Norton AntiSpam] Re: Re: [AquaticLife] Breaking Down the Tank-Need Advise
Yes Dora, I am planning to take everything apart. The only goal is to remove
the polyster forever “see my previous message for further explanation”. I’m sure that the water will turn BLACK, not just brownish, when I pull the polyster out. And the gravel will probably be impossible to clean with the usual siphoning in this case.
I delayed the break down untill the next weekend, but I cleaned the empty dry 15 g old tank and its gravel, to be ready to house the fish while cleaning the 20g. So I have plenty of time to hear all your opinions. I’ll probably fill 50% of it with tap water and put a power filter to aerate and kick the chorine out.
Here’s my cleaning plan: - Unplug - Remove the wooden and glass covers. - Transfer 50% of the water from the 20g to the 15g - Transfer the internal power head, fish, and decorations to the 15g. - Fill a bucket with the tank water to use for cleaning the gravel. - Empty the gravel, rinse it with the removed tank water (I have a problem here, the gravel will be extra dirty and I have so little tank water to use for cleaning it) - Throw the polyster, pull out the UGF plate. - clean the tank. - Set everything back again, using the same removed tank water (that was kept in the 15g), and filling the little remaining volume with treated tap water.
Any advise on how to clean a very dirty gravel with little water (about 5-6 gallons) to avoid a mini-cycle?
Thanks Noura
Category: Philippines Internet Koi Society
