How do I get rid of the old food, fish poop exc on my tanks floor

Hi,

I have a big 270 litre tank and have a inside filter that runs 700l a hour. But all the poop and stuff that is left on the floor of the tank just lies there and rot.

Is it possible to remove it without using the net all the time or desturbing the plants and other stuff in the tank.

How does the experts do it? :sick:

 

Syphon it out - it's quick and easy. If need be, take a small hose and just syphon out the large bits of food and poop lying around as you see it and do a good syphon once a month or once every two months. I syphon once a week, moving around the plants and have no problems

 

my fish's poop tend to gather up around some of my plant roots and then breakdown there on their own, but I do use a std gravel gravel occasionally and pick up heavy buildup when I see it.

 

What about adding some bottomfeeders like Corydoras or Loaches? They should do a good job of kicking up all the dirt that would normally just sit around and decompose. Since I've taken my two Corys out of my small tank I've noticed that the poop and uneaten food is building up where it never did before.

Just be careful with Corys and Loaches, they need either smooth substrate or very fine substrate to protect their barbels.

 

If you are looking for "bottom feeders and stirrers" a pair of Siamese Algea Eaters will also do... They tend to play ruff enough to "kick up the dirt". Very easy to keep.

 

It's all good and well recommending Siamese Algae Eaters, but they're near impossible to find
You'll find Flying Foxes, but not actual Siamese Algae Eaters, and 99% of local shops have no idea that there's a difference.

Interesting fact about SAE's, they're the only fish that will eat black brush/black beard algae.

 

What type of conditions do Siamese Algae Eaters need?

 

PH – neutral, temp – around 25 deg. A very hardy fish, easy to keep and feed, will eat algae and anything else put into the tank, such as flake food, live foods, vegetables, ect. They can jump, so keep the tank covered.

 

Thanks Kuhli Loach, they seem like lovely fish to keep. How big do they get? (ie, would they fit in well in a 4ft tank?)

 

About 10 to 12 cm, so it will depend on how the tank is stocked.

 

The theory is that they get to 6 inches, so 15cm, and they're very fast swimmers, so if you have very chilled or skittish fish, it might be best to avoid them.

I've got one in my 3ft tank and it seems to be getting along with the Harequin Rasboras and the loaches, so a 4ft would be ideal. I would still recommend Corys or Loaches as bottom feeders though.

 

I love my Corys

 

Not to be confused with a Chinese Algae Eater.

 

My 2 c :chinese algea eaters become aggressive as they get older & on big fish they love to suck off the protective slime coat while they have a ride. I've read up on it and I've seen it in my 2 chinese algea eater.

Ag no!!! I Didn't see you were talking about siamese algea eaters well anyway there's abit of info on the
chinese breed. lol!!!!!:embarrest:

 

The Chinese Algae Eaters are really unsuitable for aquaria and I wish the damn local shops would stop buying them! They only eat algae when they're young, and they grow to 12 to 15 inches and get extremely aggressive. If you want something that eats algae you get an Otocinclus or a Siamese Algae Eater or a Pleco. And even the latter often gets too big.

 

My 2 chinese algea eaters will sooner or later go into their own tank! Because i'm already starting to see the boysterous, aggressiveness in them.

 

When you do your regular water changes, that normally breaks down the detritus
If there is excess food lying on the floor, you must be overfeeding.
You could feeding lets
Or adding more plants, as the poops will become nutrients for your plants.
Syphoning arround plants is not a good idea as you might up root them.

 

I agree with Risen. Overfeeding may be what's causing all the excess waste in your tank. :idea: