Deb Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Hi again Guys & Girls I have been noticing the goldfish tank at daycare and it is REALLY BAD!! Murky green water - don't know when it was last cleaned (months ago probably). Has a filter I think and I have offered to give it some TLC. It's 2foot by 1 foot with about 5 goldfish in it...hard to see them though. Can anyone suggest the best way to clean it up without scaring the bejesus out of the poor fish!! I read a 1/3 change in water, don't disturb the gravel and clean the filter in the first instance. then 1/3 water change for next 2 weeks. Comments most welcome. Deborah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Definately clean the gravel using a vaccuum (not the one you use on the floor either). Clean the filter also, but only clean in the water you have vaccuumed from the tank. 50% water change, then 20% each week Five G/F are a lot for that size tank. It depends on their size of course, but only two adult size fish is all that is really suitable for. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Hi Deb, With only five fish in there, I would half fill a bucket with water from the tank, then net the fish and put them in.. then give all the glass sides a good going over to remove any algae etc.. then wait a while till everything settles... then remove around 50% of the water and see what it looks like. Clean as much of the substrate as you can without upsetting the gravel too much. If there is still lots of green water... then remove some more.. then top up with (hopefully) aged water, and slip the fish back in. Don't "thoroughly" clean the filter.. just give it a good squeeze and a rinse in tank water... should be sweet in you take your time Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 and be careful - wear gloves if necessary. I read in a magazine about a woman who caught the same bug that ummmmm - you know, the blonde sporty woman who was on tv all the time - anyway, the bug that nearly killed her. It nearly killed the woman who wrote the article too. Cheers Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 What "are" you saying Jude..? If you are referring to Lana Cocroft... she was on the Celebrity Treasure Island when she got crook.. and if I recall.. they had no fish tanks there As a footnote: Everyone should take care when dealing with tank water if..(and it would only effect certain people).. if.. they have any open wounds or sores that will be in contact with the tank water. Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Just to add to that, be careful with open/bleeding wounds in a cichlid tank (didn't realise I had skinned my knuckle.. my oscar did thou!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jude Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 Yes thats right Pegasus. But it wasn't her who got infected through a badly neglected fishtank, it was another woman. However it was apparently the same bug. And I agree, you should always be careful when cleaning tanks Cheers Jude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted September 6, 2005 Report Share Posted September 6, 2005 afterall you are putting your hand in a tank full of fish poo and pee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 7, 2005 Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 Oh my...never even thought about "me getting something"...I always wash my hands after doing anything with my tanks because of, well, like Wok said "poo and pee" and before I do anything with them as well! Deb, what you are doing is wonderful...just another example of the kind of hearts you folks have Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klaymann Posted September 7, 2005 Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 Try putting your hand into a reef tank( I know its a marine subject) with cleaner shrimps and loose skin( i.e around your fingernails) the little bugga's tear it off !! let alone what bugs enter after they "skin" you :-? 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 11, 2005 Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 How's the tank looking Deb???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted September 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 Hi Caper - nice to hear from you! The tank was not looking so good while I was doing it and immediately after but I phoned them the next morning and the staff said it looked quite clear! I will continue doing weekly cleaning for a while (Wednesday) and hopefully will have a sparkly and happy fish tank. I do the goldfish at the Kindy too and they are thriving. By the way I did take some water for testing before I cleaned the tank and everything except the Nitrate came back fine - nitrate was 20. The gravel is completely fouled up with excrement and I also hope to better that with vacuuming. I have been surfing through topics here and find I pick up lots of interesting info. Great to have a supportive network like this eh? (No I didn't realise that in your country "eh" was popular too!!). By the way I now have 5 guppies swimming in my tank - wahoo!! Bye for now - Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted September 11, 2005 Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 Hi Deb, Glad to hear the daycare tank is improving...thanks to your TLC. Congrats on the 5 guppies...they are a fun fish to watch don't you think! I can't wait till I can get more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted September 12, 2005 Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 20ppm of nitrates is fine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted September 12, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2005 Isn't that incredible the the parameters were OK with the tank in such a bad state of neglect!! You would have thought the toxic levels would be through the roof. Wonder why they were OK? By the way should I change the filter to a new sponge - it is also slimely and black - can't get into it to rinse it in the bucket of tank water so I just shook it around iinstead trying to clean it a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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