Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 As the title says is it worth it or would it be best to put something else in to keep the tank clean. My mate has plenty in his tank with other tropicals and wonder if i can do the same with my bettas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumofthehoarde Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 my guys have my husband's bristlenose juvies stay in with them....havent had any issues ...touching wood....yet.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 well thats good thinking of going round to his to "borrow" a few off him to help out with cleaning the tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 What kind of Pleco and in what sized tank? <- That's the important part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 i have a 40L tank partioned to have 4 sections he has bristlenose so thats what i was thinking of getting but would you suggest something different Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 I wouldn't put one bristlenose in a 40 litre tank! I find they don't eat the green spot algae wich is what grows on the glass in my case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 i was thinking of getting a few or would there be something better to be getting in order to keep the tank clean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 you can't have any in there, maybe one but I wouldn't do it. If you were breeding maybe a pair... What kind of algae are you having trouble with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 as far as i know i dont have any algae but could be wrong. i just want something to keep the tank clean and i have used them before for this purpose with other bigger fish and it has worked but not sure if there is something i could do to make the tank clean. i did over a 50% water change yesterday and its already dirty so i need something to keep it clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 They don't eat dirt lol and since it is divided they wouldn't fit, the only thing you can do to keep it clean is clean it lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 its not dirty as in dirt wise but food scraps and the water clarity isnt very good either. i know that feeding amounts effect this but i watch the fish when they eat and there is nothing left when they finish so i can't quite figure it out. about 3 weeks ago i took everything out and gave it a thorough clean and there is no rocks in their for food to get stuck under Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 they won't fix water clarity, they will only make it worse and they wont fit in your tank anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 what would you recommend i should put in there i only thought of plecos because i have easy access to them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kertaz Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Bristlenoses make more mess than what they clean. How do you 'clean' thoroughly? Wash the filter under tap water? Sterilize everything? Chances are you'd restart your cycle over again and possibly bacterial bloom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mumofthehoarde Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 yes bristlenoses I swear poo more then they eat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 all that i did was take all the fish out and put in jars drain the water, fill with boiling let it sit for 10 minutes, then empty the water, use dettol to clean all panels rinse off with boiling water again. let it sit for around 40 mins in the sun. before filling with water, bicarb soda and aquarium salts. let it sit for around half hour tested PH levels which sat at 7.1 and put the fish back in after 2 hrs of being out of the tank. but about mid last week the water started to become not very clear and have changed the water twice since and the water goes to a off yellow colour. suggestions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 It wont cycle if you steralise it all the time... You should just do water changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 that was the first sterilization ive done since ive had the tank for the last 4-5 months. i do water changes every sunday and wednesday lately used to be only on sundays Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 You shouldn't do it unless you have some serious disease, now it needs to re-cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 i only did it because my mate with all these plecos did one the week before and all his tanks came up smick so i wanted the same ok well is there some sort of fish/snail or anything else i could get to help with a water clarity and any excess rubbish food that might be missed and float around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 I think the only thing you can really do is 10% weekly water changes, putting other things in there will make more mess, more poop from them, snails Poo alot aswell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzinator Posted November 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 alright thanks if thats all i can i guess thats whats best Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicola Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 The cloudiness as others have said, is probably the nitrogen cycle starting up again as you sterilized everything killing all GOOD bacteria. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kertaz Posted November 3, 2011 Report Share Posted November 3, 2011 Depending on how heavy you have stocked the tank with, you might need to do perhaps daily water changes until the tank is fully cycled to help keep the ammonia level down. If it's very heavily stocked, definitely 20-30% daily water changes. If it's lightly stocked, then you might get away with 10-30% weekly There are things that can boost your tank to cycle faster at this stage, such as: - using bio booster like Sera Nitrivec or Seachem stability - using filter media from cycled tank - using gravels from cycled tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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