should I or should I not

[KittyKatKeeper]

Let me start by saying I have been extremely lucky lately with all my tanks. (maybe I should not say that, I'll jinx myself)

Here is the question, my 55 has a sleeper goby (fat pig) channel cat and my pleco. the tank tests every week PERFECT but it looks like a river, should I care or just do water changes every week? I was even thinking of putting another filter on?

 

[davo]

well what test kits are using? some are more accurate than others...
also, you got anything like bogwood in there? Could just be tannings.
Waterchanges are your friend anyway so...

 

[KittyKatKeeper]

API aquarium Pharmaceuticals Freshwater - I do the PH, Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. It's got to be poop the Cow fish over eats because he eats everybody elses food, I even want to try to give the pleco veggies but I can only imagine how much worse it would get from there. I really don't mind doing more water changes. I also considered taking more stone out so the filth won't get so buried.

 

[Ianab]

Welcome to the world of pleco keeping

They are poop machines.

Just get used to using the gravel vac and keep up the water changes. A thinner layer of gravel does make that easier. You can do as many partial water changes as you like, siphon out a bucket of water every day if thats what it takes.

Or you can install extra filtration and powerheads, enough so the crud gets swirled around the tank and sucked into the filter. But then you have to clean out the filters more

And remember - a pooping pleco is a happy pleco, the only reason they stop is if they are sick or dead

Cheers

Ian