Tore tank apart

**Lady Hobbs** · 12-28-2007, 04:39 AM

Unplanted everything, soaked plants in bleach water, and cleaned off all the algae. Moved canister filter to this tank and have it set up again. Not positive what I did to set it back and give myself that algae rush but it sure caused a lot of work. I was getting a nice "lawn" in my tank too. Drats.

I sure wish I had a diatom filter right now!

Ty · 12-28-2007, 04:42 AM

I did that last week, no better way to blow four or five hours.

the fish sure do love it.

**Lady Hobbs** · 12-28-2007, 04:47 AM

Fish love having their life turned upside down, plants ripped out, rocks removed and redone all over again? NOT MINE.

Ty · 12-28-2007, 05:02 AM

I know thay like having a clean tank once all of the stuff settles, Not the part leading up to it.

**tropfish** · 12-28-2007, 01:40 PM

yea. Mine enjoy the really large 90% w/c every couple months. Afterward they're all happily seeking out caves and cleaning them. Digging sand pits, etc.

**Rue** · 12-28-2007, 02:43 PM

I've often wondered about boredom with fish...

If Oscars like to 'play' with toys...I suspect other fish have 'likes' as well...

Well, at least we know Hobbs isn't bored

**Algenco** · 12-28-2007, 03:20 PM

I've decided I prefer using excel over bleach.
A 25% solution used as a dip or spray, rinse after 1 minute.

When I'm fighting hair algae I remove the plant, spray with the excel, and put it back in the tank after a minute or 2, no need to rinse.
When doing a WC I take my bottle and spray the tops of exposed plants before refilling

**Lady Hobbs** · 12-28-2007, 03:38 PM

Hey now, that's one great idea. Safer, for sure since all plants aren't tolerate of the bleach solution. If I didn't mess up like I did, I wouldn't have the problem I'm facing now but I do have to say that today water is back to 0 ammonia. The spike was small but it was enough to cause a big mess.

**MeganL3985** · 12-28-2007, 06:01 PM

My tanks only a few months old but i'm ready to rip all my plants and decor out and do a good vac. My gourami's are just a bunch of pooping machines and its hard to get all of it out. I've got poop underneath my waterfall for gosh sakes....how it gets under is beyond me......but my tank is slowly but surely breaking out of its nice clean look.

**cocoa_pleco** · 12-28-2007, 06:11 PM

Originally Posted by MeganL3985

how it gets under is beyond me......but my tank is slowly but surely breaking out of its nice clean look.

that is definitely a mystery! ive wondered that too. i had heavy rocks FIRMLY pressed down in my oscars 50g long before i upgraded to the 90g, and when i tore the 50g long down there was alot of crap under there.