Hand Pumped Gravel Filter Questions...Algea etc

[rosyred81]

Still very new here (and learning where to post!!)

I have a 10g internal filter tank w/ 3 rosy red minnows I bought a lil over a mo. ago. 2 are about an in. perhaps long, and the 3rd closer to 2 in. (all bought on same day/same place). I have been changing 10% of the water once per week w/ my hand pump gravel filter...Still however, even w/ changing at this rate and only 3 sm fish, it seems after 7 days there is a large amt of algea on bottom of aquarium and also on all plastic plants etc.

Now, when I go to clean...I suction up my gravel rather fast as I feel I don't have much time to get it all as I am only aiming at 10% of tank per cleaning so a gal only and that pumps out rather fast...the problem is the circumference of the hose is (?standard..so about the sz of a quarter approx?) .....so therefore doesn't suck up a lg area at a time. I stick it down and allow it to filter up the small stones inwhich I have then hold hose up and allow the stones to drop and go towards the next algea area etc...and repeat. I seem to get the large algea areas cleaned etc yet when I'm done...alot of free floating feces & algea (vry small....stirred up pieces) are all over the tank...so I feel I don't accompolish a "clean tank" so I try to pick up what I can in a reg fish net...still tank seems to have several sm pieces of feces and algea. Also I rinse my fake plants out in hot water every cpl weeks.

What can I be doing different? Water tests are totally fine (just bought a water tester kit w/ several strips etc and all appears alright that way). Perhaps I am feeding too much and that is some of the prob?? I am not sure. Please enlighten me. Thanks guys ~~Carrie~~

 

[skjl47]

hello; First let me say this is a good job of including enough information about your tank.

been changing 10% of the water once per week w/ my hand pump gravel filter..

Hello; Water changes (WC) are a topic with folks having a very wide range of opinion as to how much and how often. While 10% once a week is on the low side of WC, it is within the range I have heard about. As you get experience the size and number of WC can be adjusted.
Let me say that a larger % WC each week should not hurt anything and may turn out to be better. Doing a greater % will give you more water volume so you should get to siphon out more detritus (fish poo and such stuff) each time. Maybe try 25% to 50% a few times to see if it helps. Even larger % is used by many members.

a large amt of algea on bottom

hello; Often algae is a result of lights on too long each day. I use a timer to turn on/off my lights and try to keep them on around 12 hours a day.

circumference of the hose is (?standard..so about the sz of a quarter approx?)

Hello; I have used such hoses in the past but have gone to a different type of siphon most of the time. These have a large tube nearly 2 inches in diameter about ten to twelve inches long which necks down to a small tube about a 1/2 inch in diameter about four feet long. This type of siphon is very effective at getting the detritus out of a tank during a WC.

Perhaps I am feeding too much and that is some of the prob??

Hello; Overfeeding is likely the most common problem new fish keepers have. It took me a long time to reduce my feeding to better amounts. Fish are cold blooded and can get by with not much food. In fact I now skip feeding one or two days a week for my adult fish.
I also feed only one time a day. You are on the right track.

Good luck

 

[rosyred81]

I've been trying to prep mine for breeding w/ frozen brine shrip and also dried blood worms. I feed these mb once a week maybe twice. I've never fasted them b/c I'm not sure I should do this, esp if not adult yet (just bought them end of July...at pet shop.. one is a couple in long and others about 1/2 the size...3 rosy reds in all). Should I be fasting them a day or feeding less, they advised this at the petshop but from what I've found ea employee gives us much different advice ea time?!!! ugh!!