During the water change in the 125g last week, which the water changes themselves aren't regular as they used to be, just whenever I remember or when it's needed from looking at the fish (yes I'm admitting this) I noticed that smell to the water. These fish are hardy as we've had them for many years and should be "used" to this by now....Okay, I changed the smaller fluval 404. It was stuffed with mostly sand. Then 2 days ago I had hubby lift out out the FX5 as I cannot. We always label the bigger ones with the last water change. Took off the lids, started cleaning. Kids walked into the kitchen and proclaimed how bad it smelled! It was full of sand and poopy stuff, but was only in the foam. THe carbon and bioballs were amazingly pretty darn clean! But, omg it smelled, kinda like stinkbugs too.
The outside of the fluval was covered with dust and cobwebs...found the label from the last cleaning- 11/16/2011!!! over 13 months!!! And this is the tank that's way overstocked, growing out the "lil" monsters!! I had to write about this as I think it was even our record after almost 20 yrs in the hobby myself...
We always do the 2 FX5's together as we have the other one in the 265g as a supplement to the sump. That one was still soooo clean, didn't even need done except for major cobwebs underneath the cannisters.
Fishes all fine too and water smell going away already. Now, we have to attack the sump this weekend as I won't admit that one just yet, but the water in the 265g doesn't smell...Plus I can see the condition of the sump from looking at it and it still looks amazingly great. I did 2 big water changes on the tank last week. 2nd one was not due to anything about the water conditions at all.
Anyone else want to admit that they don't follow the 3-6 month recommended filter cleanings???
The outside of the fluval was covered with dust and cobwebs...found the label from the last cleaning- 11/16/2011!!! over 13 months!!! And this is the tank that's way overstocked, growing out the "lil" monsters!! I had to write about this as I think it was even our record after almost 20 yrs in the hobby myself...
We always do the 2 FX5's together as we have the other one in the 265g as a supplement to the sump. That one was still soooo clean, didn't even need done except for major cobwebs underneath the cannisters.
Fishes all fine too and water smell going away already. Now, we have to attack the sump this weekend as I won't admit that one just yet, but the water in the 265g doesn't smell...Plus I can see the condition of the sump from looking at it and it still looks amazingly great. I did 2 big water changes on the tank last week. 2nd one was not due to anything about the water conditions at all.
Anyone else want to admit that they don't follow the 3-6 month recommended filter cleanings???
