As a total newbie to the aquarium world, this is the most helpful video of em all. I really had no idea how to clean my tank without destroying everything lol. I feel stupid now
Nah a stupid person is someone who thi ks they know it all. Hope you enjoy the hobby. I have loved this hobby for over 40 years and still enjoy watching videos like this and I'm still learning
About the sponges: make sure to read the package of it. Some have soaps or chemicals in the sponges that arent safe for your fish. If you arent sure they will usually say "aquarium safe" on the back.
Just want to say, THANK YOU for the efficient editing, brisk pace and well-spoken commentary! So many videos are painful to watch because they're missing one or more of these factors.
When I was younger and less experienced, I forgot to turn off my heater before draning my tank. If you don't know, heaters without water cam overheat and explode. So, I had to buy a new heater.
yeah.... i was setting up a new tank and i was making sure the heater was working but forgot to unplug it. when i tried to put it into the tank.......let’s just say now i have some major burn scars on my hand
So so helpful! My husband and I just got two gold fish and we never had fish before in our lives and we needed to know how to clean the tank, thank you!
First of all, let me just say, I’m just a few minutes into your video but thank you for pointing out and addressing algae attacks because people like me who Manages everything in my home tend to neglect the fish tank a little too long and this is exactly the kind of cleaning that I am looking for, so thank you!
@@tropicalterrarium1742 I thought that as well until Bristle nose killed my favorite fish! Then I watched a video the guy said: Stop being lazy and clean your darn tank! Plecos are not glass cleaners! That's what I do clean it with a scrubbing wand with plastic ending. Algae are healthy for your fishes as long as it doesn't take over your tank.
Im new to keeping fish. I wish i had found this video sooner. I was doing a complete substrate cleaning after my tank cycled. In doing so I killed my cycle. I also changed my filters to soon. Not knowing what a good and bad filter looks like is a killer. CZcams videos are really hit and miss. Thanks for your video it was very easy to fallow.
I did exactly the same mistake a week ago... Vacuumed the entire substrate, cleaned the filter (even in old tank water), changed almost 30% of the water... A couple of hours later, boom, cloudy water (most probably bacterial bloom). The fishes were fine but the tank still clears out as we speak!
@@cluedobox2883 when you spray something that close to a tank its possible for it to get into the water (you know how the spray nozzle sends particles flying into the air) I have heard horror stories of this killing a whole aquarium of fish. i use a glass cleaner but I just spray it onto a cloth in on the other side of the room to avoid any problems :)
So much help! Thank you for this tutorial! I just planted (low tech, easy) my 1st tank a month ago. I really wondered about vacuuming and cleaning when the carpeting plants take over. Excellent video!
Great video on a much neglected topic by others. Just a note, when using pot cleaning pads, it's best to rinse them under running water several times as these are treated with anti-fungal and insect repellents for long term storage. Un-rinsed pads can bring big disaster into the tank. Haha.....I loved it when you said "don't go to movie while your tank is being filled"....good one. 😂 BTW, love that periodic table chart at the background....gives a nerdy look 🤓
+Zak Rafik Thanks for the added sponge advice, ya you def dont want to leave the house while your water is changing....thats been learned the hard way hahahah
DIY AQUAPROS oh yeah one more thing, now that you do videos on a regular basis, why don't you have a quote at the beginning or end of your videos? Like what Dustin says "what up fish freaks" or the one I like most by Dave from ADU "keep your sleeves wet". This give a certain character and personality to the channel.....just my $0.02 worth. Give it a try! Or better still why don't you ask your subscribers give some suggestions. That'll be uber cool.
Have had aquariums on and off most of my life and usually decommissioned them due to letting maintenance get behind and ending up with a green monster. This all permanently changed when I decided to invest in an Eheim UV Steriliser. No more algae problems, crystal clear water and only need to do 20% water changeouts every two weeks.
I have a heavily planted tank, it is a 90 gallon with a 35 gallon sump that is about two thirds full while running. I don't do water changes, I did regular water changes until I could get the tank well established once matured I stopped doing water changes. Water changes are counter productive for me, when you do water changes your throwing the baby out with the bath water. I only add water to replace the evaporation. I also never clean my tank, the tank takes care of that on it's own and yes the tank is pristine and the plants are thriving. The secret is to learn what it takes to truly balance an aquarium, a well balanced aquarium will almost take care of itself.
Great tutorial! I found the video very informative! I change 50-60% of all my tanks water 1 a week. On my smaller heavily planted tanks, I change 40% of the water roughly every two weeks. Thanks for sharing!
Ahhhh my tap water temperature in winter can reach 5 degree Celsius (or 41F) loool. Could easily make my aquarium temperature drop 10 degrees unless I make it supppperrrr slow (like 4 hours long) Life in Canada :O Nice video subscribed
I change my water every Friday, but I test the water every other day so if theres any ammonia in the tank I change the water then as well. So water changes and vacuuming whenever nitrates are higher than 40 or if any amount of ammonia is showing, as well as every Friday on the tanks that didn't need cleaning throughout the week
I use Pothos in a 10 gallon and it is pretty heavily stocked. But I use a big 20 gallon hob and some java ferns, but I think what really keeps the water crystal clear is the Pothos. 6 neon tetras, 8 guppies ,a dwarf gourami, a khuli loach, and 2 shrimp. Nitrates are never above 10 ppm unless I go like 2 weeks without a water change which is good for plant growth. Planted tanks can really break the 1 inch of per fish rule.
I do water changes when my ammonia, and nitrites, nitrates register on my tests, which is roughly bi-weekly. For reason my 20 gallon that is slightly over stocked seems to do the best, I get almost a month. I have plants in all my tanks, they are all low level plants. I have all leaf types of Java ferns, java moss, a water Sprite, and some water wisteria. I buy gosht shrimp alot cuz they are cheap and they get to come to my house to be shrimp and not eaten unless one dies right off and I can get it I'll feed them to my simorum green spot Mushu, he loves them. For real bro, I'm so happy you decide to have a channel and help out other ppl. I'm new to planted tanks. I think my 20 does so we'll cuz it catches some sunlight, not alot to promote the growth algae, I also have a octo in there as well. I had two and didn't make it, the pet stores in my area are not the greatest. Infact I was charged full price for a betta with cloudy eye that wasn't being treated at all. His still holding on. I did a Melafix treatment for the full 7 days and he is still sick. I'm torn, I can't sit and watch him struggle so hard to get up to top water to breathe. I put a large plant in there and put him on top, he doesn't fight me or try to swim away, which tells me he is pretty much gone.
You present some really good techniques here, like blocking your drain hose with filter pads. I am always getting snails stuck in my output hose. I'm actually very surprised you don't remove your fish during all this work on their home. I would think their gills get choked with floating debris. Apparently not, though. Thanks for sharing!
Almost nobody removes fish during water changes. He uses some good ways, but there r cases that things can be done a better way. (ex: dechlorinator must be added BEFORE adding water, in order to neutalise Cl, while water enters, in order to avoid any gill damage.) Read the comments.
The fish look nice, and the plants are super. I just wanted to point out something for beginners to understand. 1. I have smaller Acrylic tanks, the razor blade and Magna Float are too rough on Acrylic and will scratch the tanks. I just get the sponge and do elbow grease. 2. I do a weekly water change of 25%. 3. In some cities the use of Chloramine is much higher than other cities. I use similar chemicals that are used here. I use API Stress Coat, good stuff. 4. You need a new siphon man! LOL! 5. The tips on cleaning the aquarium plants was very informative for me. Good clip!
I feel very lucky I found your videos right away. I'm starting from scratch a couple new tanks in a few months. I've had tanks before but never live planted aquariums. I only wonder how to make my tanks thrive when I live in a very low lighted home. Im sure you have videos to help with this so I'm going to keep viewing and learn all I can.
thank you so much for this video i always had fake plants for years ... now i have a bigger tank i want plants .already bought plant lights .. so i will buying my first plant so i am beginner starting with low tech plants / beginner plant go from there i was not sure how to clean the the gravel/ sand with plants in it in .. you answered my questions..with my water changes with a larger tank i always ..put water in trash can and let it set a couple days with a small heater and seachem prime ..
A great way to clean the outerglass without chemicals is to use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe of water spots, then dry with an ecloth. It leaves the glass streak free and clean.
Love your S.Repens carpet, they are so lush and well carpeted.. I usually go more than 3 weeks without a water change, I keep a very low bio load and a very high plant load which means Plants do most of the filtration in my tank, reason I go 3 weeks is partly because of laziness and other part is would like my tank to cope for atleast 3 weeks without a water change, because I usually take 3 weeks of vacation every year....
i like the tip of putting some filter floss in the python hose while draing. I have been putting a net over the end of the python using an elastic band>
about the algae, i found another natural solution. get a algae eater or one of those catfish suckers.. they clean up sooo fast. i left my tank covered with algae initially, but after bringing home two chinese suckers, they cleaned up the tank really good with the few exceptional miss spots and light spots of algae..
good video. I have pre-mixed water as I have many tanks. I use 100L drums which i keep the water in. each drum is done up to match the Parameters in each tank. I find that this way there is less stress on the fish as town water changes frequently.
Thanks for this video. I have eco-complete and I was a bit worried about the detritus. It's not much, a couple leaves here and there. But this helped me understand. Thanks!
Awesome video! Can you think about doing a series for betta fish keepers? I'm a hobbyist in college so I'm now limited to betta fish until I'm done with schooling and can get back into my usual aquarium keeping like I used to.
Another idea for draining tank water is to put the exit end of the vacuum tube into a pool vacuum hose and run it straight outside. Very good nutrients for flower beds! To answer your question, I don't have a set schedule for water changes or filter cleaning. Usually never go more than a month with the tank. My canister filter gets cleaned maybe 3x a year. Works perfectly for my 75 gallon Tetra tank!
Hello, starting once again my 100 gallon planted tank with organic soil and sand on top as my substrate for tropical fish. I have found a lot of information in this channel with great videos and how to do things. I am following you also in facebook.Thanks very much and best regards from Panama.
lol all that algae is pretty much exactly why I reverted to a low tech setup. I don’t care if my plants grow slowly, because it means the algae grows slowly too
Don't justify using cold water, lots of us do it, i do it all the time. I doubt everyone here is sitting there heating up 30+ gallons of water before refilling their tank. A lot of fish keepers just won't admit it lol
I heat my water up to the temp that was in the tank & I have a extra trash can JUST for that reason I have a 110 gal stock tank & 2-55 gal tanks & a 30 gal tank I keep all on a routine cleaning on the weekends after 12 am when everything is settled down where I don't get disturbed OR distracted from what I'm doing.
I use warm water from the tap mix it with the cold water and match it with the temperature of the tank condition it then use a bucket and mug to fill it up
Room temperature works best it doest stress out the fish. I take a homedepot bucket mix what I need and leave for 24hrs then add I have never had any problums and my ph is right on dot
@@JasonFolk07 depends on room temperature. also, in the summer my tap water is almost warm, but in winter is like ice... fortunately I have a fireplace in winter and warm the water over this... otherwise it would take forever, even when I put an aquarium heater in it and air stones
Big thank you for this. Loved how you've made it look such a joy. Many fish tank articles try to make cleaning a boring ritual that must be done - for a newbie like myself, that appears as the uninteresting part. In reality, it is not -evidently. Favourited to rewatch later. >
I top off as the splash gets too noisy every other week with my hob filters. I'll do a 30% change every couple of months or so. I've got eco-complete in my 38g, and gravel only in my 125g. Plants and fish are quite healthy in both tanks. I've got a little algae, but who doesn't... Works for me :)
Handy video. I'm eventually going to have to try the fill-hose method, as I'm getting so sick of buckets. I'm surprised, though, that you can run cold tap water into the tank, even gradually, after a major change and not have any problems. How large a heater do you have on that? Oh, and to answer the question: I water change my planted tank 20% every other week and do filter maintenance once a month, unless it's needed sooner.
Hey my man I love the hell out of your video you go through everything that a person need to know of cleaning a fish aquarium the proper way but you do do things a little different because that's what you want to do to your aquarium but other than that my man I love your videos keep up the good videos
You said that you use Windex after the cleaning of the tank, in order to clean the water stains on the exterior of the tank… I thought Windex was potentially harmful to the fish? Would it be more beneficial to use a water and vinegar mix instead? It’s been about eight years, since I was able to have a freshwater tank… And back then, I did use a 50-50 gravel sand mix with my plants. Are used very similar techniques that you’re using for cleaning your tanks.
I do cold water change too dont want to put hot water from a hot water tank. There's a lot of bad stuff at the bottom of a water heater like rust lead dirt and gunk. My fish love the cold water because they like to swim against the water. You don't worry about the PH with such a large water change. Thanks
AQUAPROS I have a question off topic. I have a 65 gallon tank it is tall and just have a carpet of glosso in it I am running a fluval 406 were is the best angle to place the output for circulation and I also have a hydor 425 were should I place that also? I really need help haven't had success on we're to place them so I get great circulation for the co2 to get to the glosso way on the bottom
That was such a straight-talk step by step tutorial for a well planted tank clean up. At last! Been waiting for someone to do this. Thanks Mike. BTW, can you share what fish you have that can take such swings in temp., when you get a chance? That part surprised me. I want those fish! LOL
I do a water change every week or week in a half because I have tanks that are less then 4 gallons which I have only two to three snails plus a small community of baby shrimp and I have a lot of live plants in which I usually do a 40% water change sometimes less depending on the waters appearance and smells but I’ve had my waters tested which I’ve been told that they were perfect
I like to clean my tank once every two weeks, I have two plans in my tank and I’ve noticed the two keep the water nice and clear and the fish seem to be happy, also my Ottos seem to love it they’re laying eggs about once or twice a week! if I should add more plants or if I should change up my cleaning routine please feel free to let me know!!
one thing worth noting is that utility blades... specifically the ones you're using, have oils that are applied to them before shipping so that they don't stick together in the package. So make sure to clean the Razer blade off.
I've been wanted a planted aquarium, you answered all my questions there. . . I've been using kitchen scrubbers to scrub my tank as well as the tank scrubber I have is old and wasn't getting up the algae. But I noticed I have some scratches on my tank now. Very upset about that. I didn't know if it was the kitchen scrubbers fault or not and I was going to quite using them.
Hey dude I have a question. I'm brand new to the the panted tank thing and I went to the GCCA swap today and got some really nice plants but my question is I'm running a gravel substrate and I was wondering how often should I use root tabs? Love the channel and the way you explain things is awesome!! Keep up the great videos!!
I have gone a step further with hand waving. I have a spare header that I move about over the plants. This has really shifted that detritus better than the hand. I am EI doing so 50% WC weekly.
Thanks Mike amazing video I just got a 45 gal tank and I'm going to have live plants! also i gotta say that's a beautiful aquarium love the set up keep up the great work!
This video was awash with controversy. Dechlorinating water *as it enters the tank*, *putting the water in cold* then *letting the atmosphere regulate the temp instead of using the heater*, and on top of this *adding the second half of the dechlorinator when the aquarium is full of presumably half-unconditioned water and live fish*. Foo the Flowerhorn would have a half dozen simultaneous strokes if he saw this. I think you severely understated how hardy those fish are, doing this same method in my rainbowfish tank would be genocide, not to mention all the shrimp that would die from the unconditioned chlorates floating around. My hat goes off to you, sir, for not letting all the hyperscience aquarium nerds pressure you into changing your method because if it works in your experience then there’s really nothing wrong with it.
1st.., thx for a very informative video without saying, what’s up man or hey CZcamsrs. I was looking for a video regarding cleaning a planted tank. I hv a few tanks but this week I will be buying a 10 or 15 gallon nano tank and trying for the first time, a planted tank with grass bottom and lots of plants. I wanted to know.., how people vacuum the bottom with grassy bottoms? Thx to your vid.., I now know. So thx again for you video without yelling or head banging music. You came across very knowledgeable and showed step by step. I will subscribe.
Try the stainless steel scouring pad they work amazing on glass and they do not scratch also I think there is something in the stainless Steel that algae doesn't like it seems like it takes longer for the algae to grow back weeks. Note I have not tried this on acrylic. But for glass nothing better
Can you have a few gallons of warm water handy on the side to mix in with the cold tap water? Since the hose takes so long, keep boiling water to make it warm to mix?
Great video! Very useful, and instead of a blade I would recommend using a card, like a voucher card or something so there is no possibility of scratches
@@MermaidSa91 They mainly clean the tank from food and organisms (of plant and animal origin) that r about to die. They usually don't eat plants (unless they starve), but there r snail species that always eat healthy plants. These should be avoided.
if you haven’t already, could you do a video on how to properly move a planted tank? i’m looking to move 20 hours in the next months to 2 years... i have a betta, 9 tetras, and 2 cory catfish in one 20gal planted tank at the moment
Hi there and thank you about your reply in how to reduse water changes, my water is tab water GH about 8 and PH about 7.8 ,I have now plants . But I use some good water conditioner such as Aqua Safe and filter medium. 60 L that's coast lot in Europe every two weeks. By the way my aquarium is juwel and it do have very good cover . ? Also I use Tetra Easy balance which tetra claims that it can reduse amount of water changes ? So what do you think? Thanks
A high end substrate can reduce your PH, so can driftwood and Indian Almond leaves.. You'll want to get a PH test kit/strips so you can monitor if it's actually going down.
As tap water is like 10-12C not the 25C Tetras like I'd suggest warming a flexi bucket of water to room temperature. Dechlorinate it then syphon it in. Less temp shock
@6:30 Nice low growing plants, which types are they? My plants (Cryptocoryne and Anubia) grow always rocket like to the surface...such low and carpeting growing plants would be a dream. 😍
Nice topic, good effort , but when you started scrapping algae the tank had a messed up moment atleast for a 10mins , wont that cause health issue for fish , i had done same way of cleaning n lost few tetras , does this method cause stress for fishes ? Pls do help with your reply
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As a total newbie to the aquarium world, this is the most helpful video of em all. I really had no idea how to clean my tank without destroying everything lol. I feel stupid now
Nah a stupid person is someone who thi ks they know it all. Hope you enjoy the hobby. I have loved this hobby for over 40 years and still enjoy watching videos like this and I'm still learning
About the sponges: make sure to read the package of it. Some have soaps or chemicals in the sponges that arent safe for your fish. If you arent sure they will usually say "aquarium safe" on the back.
Just want to say, THANK YOU for the efficient editing, brisk pace and well-spoken commentary! So many videos are painful to watch because they're missing one or more of these factors.
When I was younger and less experienced, I forgot to turn off my heater before draning my tank. If you don't know, heaters without water cam overheat and explode. So, I had to buy a new heater.
my mother did that once... i heard the crackling glass noise and immediately turned off...
I did this a year ago. It was a lesson I had to learn the hard way I guess lol
yeah.... i was setting up a new tank and i was making sure the heater was working but forgot to unplug it. when i tried to put it into the tank.......let’s just say now i have some major burn scars on my hand
h. ann OMG 🙏 THANK I FOR TELLING ME THIS! Bless your soul XD
I came WAAY too close until my dad walked in and realised my mistake
So so helpful! My husband and I just got two gold fish and we never had fish before in our lives and we needed to know how to clean the tank, thank you!
First of all, let me just say, I’m just a few minutes into your video but thank you for pointing out and addressing algae attacks because people like me who Manages everything in my home tend to neglect the fish tank a little too long and this is exactly the kind of cleaning that I am looking for, so thank you!
Thats my job! Glad this helps!
An old credit card works great for algae too if you’re scared of scratching the tank.
Marissa Parker I use a old tooth brush
Or an Id card
My fuel is Ramen it’s like the same thing
@@freakyfish4087 thats my point?
My fuel is Ramen subscribe to me
This is exactly how I do water changes. Glad to see a pro use the same method.
+Manvar Tejas Thanks for lettin me know!
If you use a razor blade becarefull not to hit the silicone glue on your tank
it also can scratch it if you hit it wrong. Just get a pleco, easy fix. And not the common pleco.
Use a plastic card instead 👍
@@tropicalterrarium1742 I thought that as well until Bristle nose killed my favorite fish! Then I watched a video the guy said: Stop being lazy and clean your darn tank! Plecos are not glass cleaners! That's what I do clean it with a scrubbing wand with plastic ending. Algae are healthy for your fishes as long as it doesn't take over your tank.
Im new to keeping fish. I wish i had found this video sooner. I was doing a complete substrate cleaning after my tank cycled. In doing so I killed my cycle. I also changed my filters to soon. Not knowing what a good and bad filter looks like is a killer. CZcams videos are really hit and miss.
Thanks for your video it was very easy to fallow.
I did exactly the same mistake a week ago... Vacuumed the entire substrate, cleaned the filter (even in old tank water), changed almost 30% of the water... A couple of hours later, boom, cloudy water (most probably bacterial bloom). The fishes were fine but the tank still clears out as we speak!
Thank you for the reassurance that too much gravel vacuuming can be bad. I need to hear that pretty much every time I vacuum.
only in a planted tank too much vac can be bad.
8:40 it looks like you're sucking the soul out of those plants
A fish tank dementor doing its thing
it felt so satisfying, idk why xD
Use white vinegar on the outside of the glass! Fish friendly and works like a charm
Never Use Windex ! ugh.....
vinegar !!!
@@lukewright9145 why shouldn't you use Windex for the outside of the tank?
@@cluedobox2883 when you spray something that close to a tank its possible for it to get into the water (you know how the spray nozzle sends particles flying into the air) I have heard horror stories of this killing a whole aquarium of fish. i use a glass cleaner but I just spray it onto a cloth in on the other side of the room to avoid any problems :)
@@livbrock2692 ohh okay. Thanks for explaining it to me 😊
@@livbrock2692 lol thinking same 😱 not windex.
So much help! Thank you for this tutorial! I just planted (low tech, easy) my 1st tank a month ago. I really wondered about vacuuming and cleaning when the carpeting plants take over. Excellent video!
Great video on a much neglected topic by others. Just a note, when using pot cleaning pads, it's best to rinse them under running water several times as these are treated with anti-fungal and insect repellents for long term storage. Un-rinsed pads can bring big disaster into the tank.
Haha.....I loved it when you said "don't go to movie while your tank is being filled"....good one. 😂
BTW, love that periodic table chart at the background....gives a nerdy look 🤓
+Zak Rafik Thanks for the added sponge advice, ya you def dont want to leave the house while your water is changing....thats been learned the hard way hahahah
DIY AQUAPROS oh yeah one more thing, now that you do videos on a regular basis, why don't you have a quote at the beginning or end of your videos? Like what Dustin says "what up fish freaks" or the one I like most by Dave from ADU "keep your sleeves wet".
This give a certain character and personality to the channel.....just my $0.02 worth.
Give it a try! Or better still why don't you ask your subscribers give some suggestions. That'll be uber cool.
Zak Rafik what do you think of my tank?
@@AQUAPROS can you let me know what the plant is in the left hand cornor please buddy the small crinkly leaf plant
Please don't rinse new sponges under tap water! Draw some water from the tank into a bucket to do this.
Have had aquariums on and off most of my life and usually decommissioned them due to letting maintenance get behind and ending up with a green monster. This all permanently changed when I decided to invest in an Eheim UV Steriliser. No more algae problems, crystal clear water and only need to do 20% water changeouts every two weeks.
I have a heavily planted tank, it is a 90 gallon with a 35 gallon sump that is about two thirds full while running. I don't do water changes, I did regular water changes until I could get the tank well established once matured I stopped doing water changes. Water changes are counter productive for me, when you do water changes your throwing the baby out with the bath water. I only add water to replace the evaporation. I also never clean my tank, the tank takes care of that on it's own and yes the tank is pristine and the plants are thriving. The secret is to learn what it takes to truly balance an aquarium, a well balanced aquarium will almost take care of itself.
Great tutorial! I found the video very informative! I change 50-60% of all my tanks water 1 a week. On my smaller heavily planted tanks, I change 40% of the water roughly every two weeks. Thanks for sharing!
+Brian Corcoran's Aquatics Thanks for watching! Good WC stratagy :D
U r overdoing it! 30% only, or even less.
It should be noted that those kitchen sponges used in the video have a soapy additive added to them that is NOT good for fish.
Hashtastic. I rinse my sponge b4 I dedicate it to aquariums.
Yeah man, plus the tap water chlorine didn't help.
MyKeno18 thats not a big deal
Not the generic cheap ones. I use them for all sorts of things, including filter media.
Yes, I’ve noticed all my kitchen sponges specifically say on the packaging not to use in aquariums (including the cheap ones)
Ahhhh my tap water temperature in winter can reach 5 degree Celsius (or 41F) loool.
Could easily make my aquarium temperature drop 10 degrees unless I make it supppperrrr slow (like 4 hours long)
Life in Canada :O
Nice video subscribed
I have been having major algae problems but now this helps a lot
Put some fish which eat algae
It's amazing the extra flow you get when you clean your filter tubing
+kehw Agreed
Not really,but if you sprouted wings and took flight,now THAT would be amazing!
I change my water every Friday, but I test the water every other day so if theres any ammonia in the tank I change the water then as well. So water changes and vacuuming whenever nitrates are higher than 40 or if any amount of ammonia is showing, as well as every Friday on the tanks that didn't need cleaning throughout the week
I use Pothos in a 10 gallon and it is pretty heavily stocked. But I use a big 20 gallon hob and some java ferns, but I think what really keeps the water crystal clear is the Pothos. 6 neon tetras, 8 guppies ,a dwarf gourami, a khuli loach, and 2 shrimp. Nitrates are never above 10 ppm unless I go like 2 weeks without a water change which is good for plant growth. Planted tanks can really break the 1 inch of per fish rule.
I do water changes when my ammonia, and nitrites, nitrates register on my tests, which is roughly bi-weekly. For reason my 20 gallon that is slightly over stocked seems to do the best, I get almost a month. I have plants in all my tanks, they are all low level plants. I have all leaf types of Java ferns, java moss, a water Sprite, and some water wisteria. I buy gosht shrimp alot cuz they are cheap and they get to come to my house to be shrimp and not eaten unless one dies right off and I can get it I'll feed them to my simorum green spot Mushu, he loves them. For real bro, I'm so happy you decide to have a channel and help out other ppl. I'm new to planted tanks. I think my 20 does so we'll cuz it catches some sunlight, not alot to promote the growth algae, I also have a octo in there as well. I had two and didn't make it, the pet stores in my area are not the greatest. Infact I was charged full price for a betta with cloudy eye that wasn't being treated at all. His still holding on. I did a Melafix treatment for the full 7 days and he is still sick. I'm torn, I can't sit and watch him struggle so hard to get up to top water to breathe. I put a large plant in there and put him on top, he doesn't fight me or try to swim away, which tells me he is pretty much gone.
By far the best way to kick up gunk is the waving your hand back and forth above the plants! Works especially well on carpeting plants!
+Low Light Aquatics Right!??? Thanks for watching :)
You present some really good techniques here, like blocking your drain hose with filter pads. I am always getting snails stuck in my output hose.
I'm actually very surprised you don't remove your fish during all this work on their home. I would think their gills get choked with floating debris. Apparently not, though.
Thanks for sharing!
Almost nobody removes fish during water changes. He uses some good ways, but there r cases that things can be done a better way. (ex: dechlorinator must be added BEFORE adding water, in order to neutalise Cl, while water enters, in order to avoid any gill damage.) Read the comments.
The fish look nice, and the plants are super. I just wanted to point out something for beginners to understand. 1. I have smaller Acrylic tanks, the razor blade and Magna Float are too rough on Acrylic and will scratch the tanks. I just get the sponge and do elbow grease. 2. I do a weekly water change of 25%. 3. In some cities the use of Chloramine is much higher than other cities. I use similar chemicals that are used here. I use API Stress Coat, good stuff. 4. You need a new siphon man! LOL! 5. The tips on cleaning the aquarium plants was very informative for me. Good clip!
Awesome thank you! I am just starting and wanting to know how to do this.
I feel very lucky I found your videos right away. I'm starting from scratch a couple new tanks in a few months. I've had tanks before but never live planted aquariums. I only wonder how to make my tanks thrive when I live in a very low lighted home. Im sure you have videos to help with this so I'm going to keep viewing and learn all I can.
thank you so much for this video i always had fake plants for years ... now i have a bigger tank i want plants .already bought plant lights .. so i will buying my first plant so i am beginner starting with low tech plants / beginner plant go from there i was not sure how to clean the the gravel/ sand with plants in it in .. you answered my questions..with my water changes with a larger tank i always ..put water in trash can and let it set a couple days with a small heater and seachem prime ..
Awesome and helpful video. THANK YOU. I have been doing it mostly like you describe but I have been adding plants so this was helpful
As someone who has 2 goldfish (1 black moor and 1 Oranda!), 1 catfish and is planning on getting a betta... THIS HELPED, A LOT
A great way to clean the outerglass without chemicals is to use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe of water spots, then dry with an ecloth. It leaves the glass streak free and clean.
Love your S.Repens carpet, they are so lush and well carpeted.. I usually go more than 3 weeks without a water change, I keep a very low bio load and a very high plant load which means Plants do most of the filtration in my tank, reason I go 3 weeks is partly because of laziness and other part is would like my tank to cope for atleast 3 weeks without a water change, because I usually take 3 weeks of vacation every year....
+Anoop Sreenath I feel ya, ive had tanks where I dont change the water for months, really depends on the fish to plant ratio. Thanks for watching!!!!
Anoop Sreenath what do you think of my tank?
Excellent Video Mike! I like the details that went into it! It's gonna help tons of peeps!
The Water Box I
i like the tip of putting some filter floss in the python hose while draing. I have been putting a net over the end of the python using an elastic band>
about the algae, i found another natural solution. get a algae eater or one of those catfish suckers.. they clean up sooo fast. i left my tank covered with algae initially, but after bringing home two chinese suckers, they cleaned up the tank really good with the few exceptional miss spots and light spots of algae..
good video. I have pre-mixed water as I have many tanks. I use 100L drums which i keep the water in. each drum is done up to match the Parameters in each tank. I find that this way there is less stress on the fish as town water changes frequently.
i don't do my water changes that big but i do them more often. always cold water. rain is also cold in warm climates
Thanks for this video. I have eco-complete and I was a bit worried about the detritus. It's not much, a couple leaves here and there. But this helped me understand. Thanks!
Glad it helped clarify!
Awesome video! Can you think about doing a series for betta fish keepers? I'm a hobbyist in college so I'm now limited to betta fish until I'm done with schooling and can get back into my usual aquarium keeping like I used to.
Another idea for draining tank water is to put the exit end of the vacuum tube into a pool vacuum hose and run it straight outside. Very good nutrients for flower beds!
To answer your question, I don't have a set schedule for water changes or filter cleaning. Usually never go more than a month with the tank. My canister filter gets cleaned maybe 3x a year. Works perfectly for my 75 gallon Tetra tank!
9:04 that snail was having the ride of its life
Laughed so hard at the "ride of their life" comment 😂
Hello, starting once again my 100 gallon planted tank with organic soil and sand on top as my substrate for tropical fish. I have found a lot of information in this channel with great videos and how to do things. I am following you also in facebook.Thanks very much and best regards from Panama.
lol all that algae is pretty much exactly why I reverted to a low tech setup. I don’t care if my plants grow slowly, because it means the algae grows slowly too
That’s what I thought too now my algae is taking over 💀
Don't justify using cold water, lots of us do it, i do it all the time. I doubt everyone here is sitting there heating up 30+ gallons of water before refilling their tank. A lot of fish keepers just won't admit it lol
I heat my water up to the temp that was in the tank & I have a extra trash can
JUST for that reason I have a 110 gal stock tank & 2-55 gal tanks & a 30 gal tank
I keep all on a routine cleaning on the weekends after 12 am when everything is
settled down where I don't get disturbed OR distracted from what I'm doing.
I use the shower, a thermometer, a bucket a hose and a pump. Easiest thing ever and water changes are super fast.
I use warm water from the tap mix it with the cold water and match it with the temperature of the tank condition it then use a bucket and mug to fill it up
Room temperature works best it doest stress out the fish. I take a homedepot bucket mix what I need and leave for 24hrs then add I have never had any problums and my ph is right on dot
@@JasonFolk07 depends on room temperature. also, in the summer my tap water is almost warm, but in winter is like ice... fortunately I have a fireplace in winter and warm the water over this... otherwise it would take forever, even when I put an aquarium heater in it and air stones
I do weekly water changes on all but my Walstad tank. That one gets a monthly water change just for aesthetics but that tank doesn’t need it.
Lots of kitchen sponges will say on the packaging that they arent' safe for aquarium usage.
With my breeding tank (over fed) I water change every 2 or 3 days, with my display tank (avg stock for its size) I do a 20 / 25 percent change weekly
great video Mike i clean my tanks once a week
+Floyd Conrad Thanks for stopin by :D
Big thank you for this. Loved how you've made it look such a joy. Many fish tank articles try to make cleaning a boring ritual that must be done - for a newbie like myself, that appears as the uninteresting part. In reality, it is not -evidently. Favourited to rewatch later. >
thank you so much for the full detail. much appreciated. im a beginner and doing my research before i get my plants next week
Do you ever worry that kitchen sponges might have additives that might be harmful to the fish/plants? Thanks...
Well I guess if you’ve been using them for a while and nothing has died their good to go 👍🏼
been using kitchen sponges for 3 years no problems here just rinse them out before use
I top off as the splash gets too noisy every other week with my hob filters. I'll do a 30% change every couple of months or so. I've got eco-complete in my 38g, and gravel only in my 125g. Plants and fish are quite healthy in both tanks. I've got a little algae, but who doesn't...
Works for me :)
the clamp idea is so smart thank you
Great video..no bla bla talk..just straight to the point..
Handy video. I'm eventually going to have to try the fill-hose method, as I'm getting so sick of buckets. I'm surprised, though, that you can run cold tap water into the tank, even gradually, after a major change and not have any problems. How large a heater do you have on that? Oh, and to answer the question: I water change my planted tank 20% every other week and do filter maintenance once a month, unless it's needed sooner.
+Anthony Ragan No problems with cold water, it can freak the fish out and make them hide for a bit but thats it. Heater is a 200W.
Anthony Ragan what do you think of my tank?
Anthony Ragan right? I've been doing it by buckets for so long and when I saw this video I was like..."DUH"!!!
@@AQUAPROS I don't have a siphon, how do I clean my gravel tank without removing the fish?
Hey my man I love the hell out of your video you go through everything that a person need to know of cleaning a fish aquarium the proper way but you do do things a little different because that's what you want to do to your aquarium but other than that my man I love your videos keep up the good videos
I do a strict cleaning schedule because I have very sensitive fish and need to clean weekly.
Larry Cung how do u fill the tank back up cold water ?? then the drops ??
I'm lucky to live near the equator :p heaters were never used
If I were an Algae Eater, I would be in heaven if I were in your tank😂😂😂😂
You said that you use Windex after the cleaning of the tank, in order to clean the water stains on the exterior of the tank… I thought Windex was potentially harmful to the fish? Would it be more beneficial to use a water and vinegar mix instead? It’s been about eight years, since I was able to have a freshwater tank… And back then, I did use a 50-50 gravel sand mix with my plants. Are used very similar techniques that you’re using for cleaning your tanks.
I do cold water change too dont want to put hot water from a hot water tank. There's a lot of bad stuff at the bottom of a water heater like rust lead dirt and gunk. My fish love the cold water because they like to swim against the water. You don't worry about the PH with such a large water change. Thanks
+Ruben Thanks for sharing Ruben!
AQUAPROS I have a question off topic. I have a 65 gallon tank it is tall and just have a carpet of glosso in it I am running a fluval 406 were is the best angle to place the output for circulation and I also have a hydor 425 were should I place that also? I really need help haven't had success on we're to place them so I get great circulation for the co2 to get to the glosso way on the bottom
Ruben what do you think of my tank?
But if it in a hot water tank and left wouldn't it be good because it cycled
I don't like the scape 9n the Tetra tank in this video
That was such a straight-talk step by step tutorial for a well planted tank clean up. At last! Been waiting for someone to do this. Thanks Mike. BTW, can you share what fish you have that can take such swings in temp., when you get a chance? That part surprised me. I want those fish! LOL
Wow I'm glad i watched this video I kept doing gravel and soil vacuuming
I do a water change every week or week in a half because I have tanks that are less then 4 gallons which I have only two to three snails plus a small community of baby shrimp and I have a lot of live plants in which I usually do a 40% water change sometimes less depending on the waters appearance and smells but I’ve had my waters tested which I’ve been told that they were perfect
I like to clean my tank once every two weeks, I have two plans in my tank and I’ve noticed the two keep the water nice and clear and the fish seem to be happy, also my Ottos seem to love it they’re laying eggs about once or twice a week! if I should add more plants or if I should change up my cleaning routine please feel free to let me know!!
one thing worth noting is that utility blades... specifically the ones you're using, have oils that are applied to them before shipping so that they don't stick together in the package. So make sure to clean the Razer blade off.
I've been wanted a planted aquarium, you answered all my questions there. . . I've been using kitchen scrubbers to scrub my tank as well as the tank scrubber I have is old and wasn't getting up the algae. But I noticed I have some scratches on my tank now. Very upset about that. I didn't know if it was the kitchen scrubbers fault or not and I was going to quite using them.
Do you rinse or soak your new kitchen sponge before you use them? I noticed some brands sometimes have moisture or something like that.
Hey dude I have a question. I'm brand new to the the panted tank thing and I went to the GCCA swap today and got some really nice plants but my question is I'm running a gravel substrate and I was wondering how often should I use root tabs? Love the channel and the way you explain things is awesome!! Keep up the great videos!!
R.I.P snails at 6:03
lol sad
I have gone a step further with hand waving. I have a spare header that I move about over the plants. This has really shifted that detritus better than the hand. I am EI doing so 50% WC weekly.
Thanks Mike amazing video I just got a 45 gal tank and I'm going to have live plants! also i gotta say that's a beautiful aquarium love the set up keep up the great work!
This video was awash with controversy. Dechlorinating water *as it enters the tank*, *putting the water in cold* then *letting the atmosphere regulate the temp instead of using the heater*, and on top of this *adding the second half of the dechlorinator when the aquarium is full of presumably half-unconditioned water and live fish*. Foo the Flowerhorn would have a half dozen simultaneous strokes if he saw this. I think you severely understated how hardy those fish are, doing this same method in my rainbowfish tank would be genocide, not to mention all the shrimp that would die from the unconditioned chlorates floating around. My hat goes off to you, sir, for not letting all the hyperscience aquarium nerds pressure you into changing your method because if it works in your experience then there’s really nothing wrong with it.
Or using Windex around an aquarium...
Hey bud can i ask for a list of plants u have in your amazing tank? Especially something that your using for carpeting that's hardy
1st.., thx for a very informative video without saying, what’s up man or hey CZcamsrs. I was looking for a video regarding cleaning a planted tank. I hv a few tanks but this week I will be buying a 10 or 15 gallon nano tank and trying for the first time, a planted tank with grass bottom and lots of plants. I wanted to know.., how people vacuum the bottom with grassy bottoms? Thx to your vid.., I now know. So thx again for you video without yelling or head banging music. You came across very knowledgeable and showed step by step. I will subscribe.
I have two 8 litre Betta fish tanks regularly replace 2 litres per tank weekly . Planted and cleaned monthly .
Awesome .... Thanks for sharing valuable tips ..
Great video, but seeing windex sprayed onto a tank kind of made me cringe a bit x.x
As long you do not get any windex in your tank nothing is going to happen , but if you want you can use car windshield liquid.
@@wowdad3055 You do not get it, it is good to keep the surrounding area clear of all chemicals. Distilled water works just as well as windex.
Try the stainless steel scouring pad they work amazing on glass and they do not scratch also I think there is something in the stainless Steel that algae doesn't like it seems like it takes longer for the algae to grow back weeks. Note I have not tried this on acrylic. But for glass nothing better
Can you have a few gallons of warm water handy on the side to mix in with the cold tap water? Since the hose takes so long, keep boiling water to make it warm to mix?
Great video! Very useful, and instead of a blade I would recommend using a card, like a voucher card or something so there is no possibility of scratches
Do you have to be on the dole to get a voucher card? Just asking.
Great video. I was wondering what kind of plants are those in the front right corner of this tank?
Do you ever add snails to your tanks? I particularly enjoy them!
Do you have to feed them anything in particular? Will they eat my plants?
@@MermaidSa91 They mainly clean the tank from food and organisms (of plant and animal origin) that r about to die. They usually don't eat plants (unless they starve), but there r snail species that always eat healthy plants. These should be avoided.
Used the sponge trick in the filter tube. I have neons now I will never lose another
if you haven’t already, could you do a video on how to properly move a planted tank? i’m looking to move 20 hours in the next months to 2 years... i have a betta, 9 tetras, and 2 cory catfish in one 20gal planted tank at the moment
I'd recommend a bucket heater to match the temperature. You plug it right into the outlet
Doing my first planted build. Just curious, what kind of food was that? It didn't look like flakes.
Great video! Your tank is beautiful!
+The Firestones Thanks!!!!!
Hi there and thank you about your reply in how to reduse water changes, my water is tab water GH about 8 and PH about 7.8 ,I have now plants . But I use some good water conditioner such as Aqua Safe and filter medium. 60 L that's coast lot in Europe every two weeks. By the way my aquarium is juwel and it do have very good cover . ? Also I use Tetra Easy balance which tetra claims that it can reduse amount of water changes ? So what do you think?
Thanks
A high end substrate can reduce your PH, so can driftwood and Indian Almond leaves..
You'll want to get a PH test kit/strips so you can monitor if it's actually going down.
As tap water is like 10-12C not the 25C Tetras like I'd suggest warming a flexi bucket of water to room temperature. Dechlorinate it then syphon it in. Less temp shock
hey thanks for this, this helps me a lot! uhm do you have a video on how often do you need to feed your fish?
30% on both my 100 litre and 70 litre tank once a week regardless of condition of tank!
@6:30 Nice low growing plants, which types are they? My plants (Cryptocoryne and Anubia) grow always rocket like to the surface...such low and carpeting growing plants would be a dream. 😍
Nice topic, good effort , but when you started scrapping algae the tank had a messed up moment atleast for a 10mins , wont that cause health issue for fish , i had done same way of cleaning n lost few tetras , does this method cause stress for fishes ? Pls do help with your reply
Shyam46 Narayan algae itself does not cause stress for the fish, aggressive cleaning might
Biggest stress factor would be sudden change of water parameters, i think
This guy is really good