Aquarium Cleaning Information

[Carl]

We have updated the "Aquarium Cleaning Information" article.

A total overhaul of the layout and the way resources for further information and products is presented.

As well, some outdated information was removed and new information added.

www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_cleaning.html

Carl

[Carl]

We have once more updated the "Aquarium Cleaning" article with further information to hopefully ad more clarity to the subjects addressed such as "frequency" and "reasons"

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_cleaning.html

Carl

[Carl]

We added a new banner (compliments of Steven W.) to our Aquarium Cleaning article



Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_cleaning.html

Carl

[devonjohnsgard]

Looks great! Another good one from Steven. Good read too.

[Ameenah]

Nicely done update to the tank cleaning article Carl. I enjoyed the new read.

pretty new banner design by Steven W.  Steven do you outsource yourself with your graphic design talents?  Sometimes I am just too darn busy to do or redo them for our Website Hosting clients. 

[goldenpuon]

Beautiful banner! Very-well done Steven!

Renee

[Deleted]

Love the banner Steven! I know I saw it before when I was reading everything on Carl's site -- but didn't look as closely as I did today. Now I will think of my Special Blend (Microbe-Lift) as minuscule little scuba divers clearing out fish waste. I do intend to go back and re-read the information provided. At one time, I was considering adding a UV Sterilizer to help deal with algae problem. Reducing the nutrients that the algae needs had taken care of any algae problem I had in the past. Sometimes I get a very slight algae bloom in the water that can only been seen in the white buckets. I just know it is time them to change the Phos Zorb (or Phos Guard) - and step up water changes if the nitrates are higher. Phosphates are not harmful to freshwater fish - I just keep them level low in all of my aquariums for crystal clear water.

Cheers!

Judy D

[saw]

I am not very active in the forum, but I wanted to pop in and say thank you for the positive feedback. A lot of time goes into making these banners.

[Deleted]

Hi Steven,

I don't know how to send a personal message (other than to click Like)....but as a fellow artist, I know where you are coming from. Some folks must think art is created "like magic". I do appreciate your work and am pleased to have "met" you. When I saw the banners before, I assumed they were obtained from some professional source. Glad to know that you make them and yes, they are very professional!

Your little dog is wagging his tale at me and smiling (grin).

I know you have answered some of my questions to the online form (assuming you are that Steven?). I have received answers from Carl (the majority) and Devon, too.

Cheers,

Judy D.

[saw]

I would agree with you about some people think art is created "like magic"... I know Carl feels the same about his articles. With the time he puts into the articles I don't blame him, he spends more time working on his articles then I do creating the pictures to place on them (twice the time if not more). Thank you for the compliments, I try my best to make Carl and myself proud. I wish I had motivation to work on my personal art, but after the days work I am too pooped to be creative.

Yes, he is a happy dog.

Yes, that was me... Four of us run the business, sometimes it is overwhelming, but worth it.

I believe you can send a pm from the persons profile.

Anyways, I am getting way off subject.

[devonjohnsgard]

(Clap)(Clap) To Carl and Steven (Clap)(Clap)

[Deleted]

(Clap)(Clap) to DEVON, too (Clap)(Clap)

Devon, your post was a laugh out loud when I read it yesterday.
I just read one from Parker this morning that was also a LAUGH OUT LOUD - so much that I was "crying"...You all are just way too COOL!

OK... this is the last personal message I will post to the forum... I just wanted to be make sure that everyone who deserves a clap gets one.... Actually ALL of you can give yourself a good (Clap)(Clap) today. This forum treats all members with respect. First time members receive the same thorough, accurate answers as long time members. Every question is considered important. New ideas are not considered bad ideas. I have "met" soooo many WONDERFUL people here on this forum.

I don't "need" any additional information from you right now as you all have answered everything already (through the forum and AAP site). I do have some "concerns" I will bring up for discussion later (so much bad info out there!! I want folks to find the right information here -- if they should ever find this forum) but right now, my own fish need me (huge smile).

Cheers!

Judy D

[Carl]

The Aquarium Cleaning article was updated

www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_cleaning.html

Troy's Redox test was added to this article in the Redox section

Here is an excerpt:
"Test: A simple test using Potassium Permanganate (Jungle Clearwater which is is 2% KMnO4 is used).

EXAMPLE:
First, get sample(s), the one on the right is water from 40 gallon low bio load freshwater aquarium, and the one on the left is from a 10 gallon Turtle Condo. Both the tanks had a 20% Water change 1 day prior to this test."

Carl

[Carl]

I have updated the "Aquarium Cleaning" Article

Here is an excerpt:
"My point is that a 25% water change every 2-4 weeks may be all that is required to maintain correct water parameters due to excellent filtration, nitrate removal methods, and chemistry husbandry by one aquarist but not adequate for another aquarist due to a high bio load, lesser filtration, less than stable water parameters, etc.!
Or one aquarist may do fine with the German/Walstead or flow through method while another may fail and the use of products such as the Aquarium Cleaning Machine or Eheim Sludge Remover may be necessary for DOC control.

It is also noteworthy that despite some rather passionate persons on both sides of the how much, why, and frequency of water changes, my vast experience & keeping notes in caring for literally 1000s aquariums in my large aquarium maintenance company THAT THERE IS NO ONE EXACT FORMULA THAT FITS ALL! Changing water efficiently and keeping fish alive was my bread & butter and was a major reason for my success in this my aquarium maintenance & design business.
So if someone advocates that with their method you never have to change water or the opposite, large water changes weekly are the only way to control nitrates, etc. be vary cautious of such advice."

Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_cleaning.html

Carl

[Carl]

We have updated the Aquarium cleaning article.

Here is an excerpt and picture from the article:

"*GH and Electrolytes, positive mineral ions; this is related to the above point.
Water changes will often (but not always or completely) replenish necessary electrolytes when tap or well water are used. This is why RO water should ALWAYS be re-mineralized.

This is an important reason that is often missed in determining whether or not adequate methods, frequency, etc. of water changes are being utilized. If your aquarium mineral ions/electrolytes are low, you are likely in need of a water change using water high in electrolytes/mineral Cations and/or should be employing products such as Wonder Shells, Aragamight, SeaChem Replenish and possibly aragonite.

Water changes for Redox The above point in mind, an aquarium keeper also needs to understand that a water changes usually still does not address oxidative stress. This is IMPORTANT as this part of the Redox equation is partly why we change water, yet simple tests prove it it not entirely effective even with the help of a Redox reducer such as AAP/SeaChem Prime.

The picture to the right clearly demonstrates how even a 50% water change using Prime too does not completely remove the oxidizer added for this test (Potassium Permanganate) compared to the tank utilizing an AAP Wonder Shell.
The aquarium on the right had a 50% water change after the introduction of potassium permanganate while the aquarium on the left only had 1/2 of a Medium AAP Wonder shell."



Reference:
www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_cleaning.html

Carl

[Carl]

Another update in a few sections of this popular article.

www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Aquarium_cleaning.html

EXCERPT:
"I prefer to leave the fish in during this process even if the aquarium is quite dirty, as I have found that more stress is added to the fish removing them and then placing the fish back in new water conditions that the fish are not accustomed to. Only in extreme circumstances did I remove the fish (even then, my results were better with a "flow through" cleaning method while leaving fish in)
Controlled experiments I performed in the late 70s along with discussions with others in my field confirmed that removal for cleaning is much more stressful to fish (this stress in these experiments often did not show up in immediate fish losses, rather with fish getting sick after cleanings).
Add water back slowly, and if tap water is used make sure the temperature is similar to the aquarium water already present in the aquarium, you can generally safely add warm tap water to correct this.
Although in the Marine aquariums I maintained, I brought my own water and it was invariably colder than the aquarium, but this does not present as much of a problem as many think. If you do some math; Say your aquarium is 78 F and you add 20% water back that is 68 F, that is 1/5th the volume, so 1/5th of a 10 F difference is only 2 F.

As well make sure your new water does not adjust the pH more than .2 on the logarithmic pH scale.
For instance a tank with a pH of 7.0 that has a 25% water change should not have water more than 7.8 or less than 6.2 added to it quickly."