100% tank clean up?

[MiLLenionLTD.]

I have 2 blood parrot, one tiger Oscar, and a sail fin pleco, all in a 30 gallon tank i just finished medicating them after an outbreak of the "ICH". I got the Oscar in a tank with further meds. Its been on my mind to drain the water clean the decor, gravel, glass, and the water. Should i go ahead and do it?

 

[crisper]

Just do several small water changes over the next week and filter with fresh carbon.This should remove all the meds from your tank.And I am sure others will tell you to get a larger tank soon.

 

[dmed]

If it's ich that's concerning you, move all the fish to another tank, turn up the temp to high 80's for 4 days, then let the temp come back down and replace the fish. No hosts = no parasites.

Personally, I would drain all the water into a much larger tank, then add more water and fish.

 

[MiLLenionLTD.]

larger tank is needed/wanted but just not in reach at the moment. My Oscar has fin and tail rot hes currently in a different tank on close watch. I ask an owner of a fish store and he gave me some tetracycline.

 

[duke33]

 

[Darren87_Sg]

if u wanna do it u have to move all the fishes to a hospital tank with good filteration. and once u finished cleaning the tank,u have to add in water and let the tank cycle for a few days,for 30g ard 2-3 days will do b4 u can get ur fishes back in again. but i won't wanna go thru all that trouble just for ich medication. and it might stress ur fishes out cuz new water the risk that the fishes might get pH shock.juz use the old water do ur regular 10-20% water changes more often for around 2-3 weeks and the fishes will be fine.

 

[pcfriedrich]

even when I move my tanks, I keep at least a little water and gravel in there. never completely clean everything.

 

[Yanbbrox]

I don't see the benefit from doing a 100% change and cleaning the tank out, little and often is the key but your oscar sounds like it's in a bad way and a larger tank will certainly help you out.

If you must go ahead, 30 gal is not that big so I'd save as much water as possible, keep your filter media in it while you clean the tank so the bacteria won't suffer and then replace the filter media and old water back in. If your filters are up to the job it should clear quickly afterwards but again that tank is too small for your current stock which to me seems to be the underling problem. Good luck and hope it works out for you

Edit:

You'll probably kill any bacteria in your gravel as well

 

[navygirl76]

i wouldnt empty the tank unless you want to go through a cycle again. i would do waterchanges and syphon the gravel a few times really really well. and id also keep the temp up for a while and add aquarium salt. that all should deter another ick outbreak-and dont get any new fish for a while for that tank.

 

[xFLEAxx]

i wouldnt do that since the beneficial bacteria will
completley leave the tank and you would have to let it cycle again
for a minimum of 3 days