How often do you clean your tanks. I have a small l5 uk gall tank and I have been cleaning it out once a week. By that I mean cleaning the gravel and taking out about 3-4 gallons of water. Checking and cleaning the filters etc. My daughter has a goldfish that she has had for about 4yrs. Its huge and she only cleans hers when she notices it looks dirty. Am I cleaning it too

Mags

It is a good idea to do small water changes every week. You don't have to clean out the filter every time, though. Doing that could kill off the beneficial bacteria in there. But you are doing right by cleaning weekly.

Thanks for your reply. There are about 7 different sponges in the filter compartment including the carbon. I only wash or change the top white filter and every so often rinse one at a time of the others. I don't really understand all about the different types of filters everyone has. I enjoy the site, its a great help

Mags

I do once a week water changes. And I clean the filters only when they dont run as fast as they noramally do. I just rince the sponges and such in fish tank water.

You should just do normal water changes
then maby after 2 months you clean the gravel
if it doesn't look dirty just leave it how it is

because you don't want to make
the water cycle bad

I clean my filter sponge every week (with cold water of course) is this ok?

My tanks are fully cycled. All tanks get a 50% water change weekly with a vigorous rinse of the filters in a bucket of old tank water. No gravel means no siphoning. Occasionally, like every 2nd or 3rd or 4th week I clean tank bottoms or walls. Depends on the weather. Warmer weather encourages more algae on the walls, so I might clean them off weekly.

With a cycling tank, go with your test results. Usually a 25% daily or every other day water change is in order for the first 4-8 weeks with mild siphoning of gravel (if you have it) and very mild rinsing of filter media if at all. A cycling tank is a very sensitive evironment. Balance is key and test kits are ESSENTIAL.

I do once every week. But if it's a hospital tank I do every 4 days. A bowl; every 1 or 2 days..

HI Mags,

I change 20-30% of the water in my 46 gal, once a week. I also vacuum the gravel, if you don't toxins can build up in the gravel and then when you do vacuum it, the toxins are released into the water and will hurt the fish.
As long as you have a cycled tank, and don't clean the filter everytime, vacuuming is good. If you are scared of crashing your cycle then alternate when you gravel with cleaning the filter.
Testing, is a good indication as to how much water to change, so I recommend testing before and after the change.

Good luck.

PS ( I also love it here).

i have a 46gal with a very light layer of gravel, a HOB and canister. i do a light vacuum and a
20-30% water change once a week. i check the filters but generally don't do anything with them unless needed. wipe off the front and sides of the tank. that is it.

tropical tank. 40gal. one canister filter. vacuum lightly every two weeks with a 20-30% water change. don't mess with the filter unless needed. wipe off the front sides of the tank. that is it.