When Removing Water

I also remove the plastic plants, and decoration, and then I rinse the
plants and decoration with hot water.
Should I be rinsing everything in the tank, or just tending to my water
changes?

Btw: My water has been crystal clear, lately.

Thank You,
Lu

On Mar 23, 6:47*pm, (L u) wrote:
I also remove the plastic plants, and decoration, and then I rinse the
plants and decoration with hot water.
Should I be rinsing everything in the tank, or just tending to my water
changes?

Btw: My water has been crystal clear, lately.

Thank You,
Lu

There really should not be anyitng or much of anything on any decor in
the short time between routine water changes. I do not have any
plastic plants, and no other decorations of any kind in my tanks
except things that would be natural (rocks, wood etc) and commonly
found in a wild environment, and none of it ever needs to be cleaned,
so I have no clue about what your rinsing off and what your really
cleaning up. Allyou should ever have to do is maintain water
parameters, with changes and topoffs, feed and enjoy yuour fish. Your
putting too much work and stress into fish keeping and if I had to
houseclean a fish tank every water change I would be without any fish
tanks. A periodic syphoning of gravel at most.......so what exactly
is it that you feel the need to have to wash off the decorations?

I feel I need to wash off fish waste and uneaten food. But then again,
in rinsing the plastic plants and little rock cave, I also feel I might
be removing the good bacteria.
Ok, you're the expert. So I won't do it anymore.

On Mar 25, 11:10*am, (L u) wrote:
I feel I need to wash off fish waste and uneaten food. But then again,
in rinsing the plastic plants and little rock cave, I also feel I might
be removing the good bacteria.
Ok, you're the expert. So I won't do it anymore.

Evisdenbtly if your feeding that myuch there is food remains onthe
ornaments etc you need to b ack off on feeding. As for fish waste, you
really should not be getting that much waste deposite don plants etc,
and water current usually will remove it formornaments and pull it
into the filter unit. Doubt a undergravel filter will do this very
effectively.........

On Mar 25, 3:14*pm, ExPat wrote:
On Mar 25, 11:10*am, (L u) wrote:

I feel I need to wash off fish waste and uneaten food. But then again,
in rinsing the plastic plants and little rock cave, I also feel I might
be removing the good bacteria.
Ok, you're the expert. So I won't do it anymore.

Evisdenbtly if your feeding that myuch there is food remains onthe
ornaments etc you need to b ack off on feeding. As for fish waste, you
really should not be getting that much waste deposite don plants etc,
and water current usually will remove it formornaments and pull it
into the filter unit. Doubt a undergravel filter will do this very
effectively.........

The way I understand it, the gravel, decorations and wood all collect
the good bacteria that is essential to a balanced system, as does the
filter sponge. I rinse my filter sponge only periodically and not at
the same time that I do a water change.

It has also been said that when you do rinse the filter sponge you
should rinse it in old fish water from one of your changes (you can
use the rest of the water to water your plants, it has great natural
fertilizers in it). Hope this helps!

marypage

I don't have a sponge in my filter.

On Mar 25, 7:58*pm, (L u) wrote:
I don't have a sponge in my filter.

Lu uses an undergravel filter.............

Your right that one should not change all filter media at the same
time nor rinse and clean items with tap water, and to use water change
water if possible. No sense killing off good bacteria with chlorine or
fresh water when we work so hard to get the bacteria there inthe first
place.

Thanks Pat. I'm learning! I'm learning! And I owe it all to you fine
people!