Cleaning

[maxpayne40]

As you may have noticed I am asking a lot of questions and am in my second month of discus keeping.

I was cleaning the over the tank hood filter today for my Aqua one 620T tank and noticed that the noodles were a bit 'grimy'. 0Now I know not to clean them in tap water as that will kill the 'good' bacteria. It is fine to wash them off in tank water or should I just leave them alone, someone told me they NEVER need cleaning so just wondering what to do.

And just btw is it fine to add cold water to your tank (when changing only 20-25% of a 132 litre tank - 30lts approx change)?.

Thanks for all your comments

[Ghoti]

Hey Max - ask away. I'm also new to the discus caper and am also learning from your questions.

Every couple of months I empty the noodles into my 20lt water change bucket, siphon water from the tank, swish the noodle around then pop them back in my filter. I have not had any ammonia spikes so I figure its all good BUT I am also running a canister filter as well as the one in the hood. I do the canister one month and the hood the next month.

Cheers,
Scott

[maxpayne40]

Thanks Scott, I also run a canister filter and the hood one also. Started the canister about 2 weeks ago and the Hood one has been running for just over 5 weeks. Cleaned the hood one twice now (not noodles) by just washing the wool/carbon and sponge in tank water and cleaning the spray bar. Ordered replacement wool/carbon one as I assume in the first two months it could cop a hiding just cycling/cleaning.

Have not cleaned the canister one yet and that will be a new experience. Still doing 20-25% water changes every two days. Starting aging water and adding ammonia cleaner now as well as what I have been doing (declor water). Took out a lot of substrate to make tank cleaning easier and feed twice a day with bariety (frozen bloodworms, dried blackworms, beef heart and now brine shrimp). Will have ammonia test kit soon and will post levels.

Trying to keep water clean and stable (no drastic changes) and water changes will be twice a week soon with cleaning filter (hood) once weekly. From what I read keeping up temperature around 30 degrees is good for a few things and hopefully will help the diseases at bay. Also have a UV filter in cannister so every little bit helps.

So far so good. Another month and hope I am in the clear as far as cycling goes (did not cycle prior to adding fish).

[Oonallee]

Good post max, I have been wondering the same myself. Perhaps there should be a discus myth busting post :)

[Decapper]

From what I know and have read.

You do a water change or filter clean.. never both at the sametime. And yes clean filter media always in tank water in a bucket say.

From what I have read Discus can stand a slight change in temp 2c but large swings can stress the fish out and bring on other problem the healthy fish once held back. Even over 2 days or so this could cause bloating even

[Oonallee]

Hi max, I went to mitre 10 and brought a 10 metre approx 2.5cm wide silicone hose. This affixes to the end of my gravel cleaner and reaches all the way out through my front door and into a drain nearby the house.

One end also has a hose connecter/tap adapter which affixes on to my laundry trough tap. Then I can get the water to the same temperature as my tank through adjusting the hot/cold taps to put back into the tank.

Certainly makes the job of water changing very easy!