How do you clean your Mbuna cichlid tanks?

[APAC]

you could always do a bare bottomed mbuna tank with decorations that are easily removeable. thats how I have my 110tank setup for breeding polits, flavus, and zebra long pelvic and cleaning is super easy. how do you guys have time for 25-50% water changes each week? must be small tanks, i try to do at least a 40% water change on all of my tanks every 3 weeks.

 

[screaminleeman]

you could always do a bare bottomed mbuna tank with decorations that are easily removeable. thats how I have my 110tank setup for breeding polits, flavus, and zebra long pelvic and cleaning is super easy. how do you guys have time for 25-50% water changes each week? must be small tanks, i try to do at least a 40% water change on all of my tanks every 3 weeks.

I had a challenge when using a python for the water changes. I switched up to two very long poly. hoses and cut the time in half! I am always siphoning one tank to the outside and "watering" the lawn/ shrubs, while filling the previously drained tank with the other hose from the spigot attachment of the laundry room sink!

In addition I use the old gravel vac./ bucket method at the same time as the hoses on the smaller 20 G and under tanks. The fill from the sink is somewhat faster then the siphon, so it serves as filler for all tanks. I have no challenge changing 19 tanks in under 5 hours and 12 beers!

 

[Cleanbio]

I am not a big fan of the python either, it wastes a lot of water using the gravel vacuum feature, so i too have gone old school and just use a simple gravel cleaner with a bucket. Except when filling it I use the python, its good for that.

 

[gomezladdams]

I take out all the rocks in the 125g about every 2 months and vac under them.Use that opportunity to net out any fry that have been hiding.

 

[nyinfamous2k2]

I got a 125gal african tank and what I "try" to do is a 25% water change weekly but I usually end up doing 50% bi weekly. And my method is I will use the old small hose and bucked method to spot clean the sand and what ever poop I can see on the Rocks and in the corners, for about a bucket or two = 5 min. then I take out the big hose and run it into my bathtub and let gravity take out the water. sit back pound a beer or two watch tv. Then after taking out the desired amout I hook the hose up to the sink (with a ghetto made rig) and I fill the tank back up at the same time adding my dechlorinator and re salting. A total of 40 min with 10 min actual work. I re arrange my rock pretty frequently every 3-4 weeks, cuz Its like having a new tank every month and its a whole new world for the fish lol, but It gives me a good chance to spot clean between them, and yes I actually do find a significant amount of poop between the rocks. I have Lace rock with lots of holes to trap the waste. what kind of rock do you have screaminleeman?
But honestly I would say 80% of the waste I find pilled up between the rocks is from my doo doo machine pleco. He cranks out the crap like hes getting paid for it, and business is booming. lol

 

[screaminleeman]

I have a collection of real and fake rockwork in the tank for the Mbuna's. I have a real nice large piece of Texas Holey rock, Two awsome slabs of candy cane slate, five slabs of gray slate, three slabs of red slate, a fake decoration (I think lace like ornamental rock) and two ornaments (1 of the sphinx & one pair of barrels.

I also have an emense "cave structure" I created from a bag of Lava rock and aquarium silicon, and also adhered some of the lava rock to clear PVC tubing for additional caves. It would be real tough to remove the structure built from lava rock!

 

[Otherone]

If your getting a build up of "gunk" - your overfeeding.

I don't feed the fish more than they can eat in 3 - 5 min. 50% weekly water changes and monthly carbon changes are my maintence - cleaning of filters and pads occurs about twice a year and usually not alot of build up if any. I rinse in cycled water.

 

[fab5valentine]

How do you folks set-up the levels in your canisters.

Sponge bottom.. then?????

How often do you change each?

-fab5

 

[Husky Jerk]

I use the filling hose to squirt under and between all the rocks while I'm still sucking. Using sand with alot of current helps too.

 

[Imaginary.Fish]

But honestly I would say 80% of the waste I find pilled up between the rocks is from my doo doo machine pleco. He cranks out the crap like hes getting paid for it, and business is booming.

That made me laugh - it's a very good description! My pleco does the same thing. Out of 19 fish in the tank, I'd swear that at least half the poop in the tank comes from him!