tank cleaning help

[mustang98]

Hello everyone,
I'm still in the learning process. I spent 6 months planning for my tank and I still haven't got all the bugs. I'm about a month in now with 13 African cichlids in a 90 gallon. Ive come into a couple problems along the way. One in which is my tank after 3 months began to leak very fast so I had to do a over the night purchase of a new tank and keep the fish alive in my bathroom. The transfer was successful exept for the fact that I had one fish die within the week of the transfer. Now I'm kinda noticing that my fish aren't eating as agressively as they use too. I might be over sensative but I'm not sure. I've also noticed that there is a lot of food building up in the gravel and poop, probably because I haven't found the proper way to clean it, and also possible because my fish aren't eating as much.

My main question is...
how do I remove all of the waste at the bottom of my tank? Does putting a power head at the bottom significantly help out a lot? It seems like there is just a bunch of dead water at the bottom and I want all of the debree to be sucked into my two filters.

Thanks for you help

 

[navygirl76]

what type of substrate do you use? i would buy a python to do weekly 25-30 percent water changes.. they are good at suctioning the poop and old food . Keep in mind that rotting food and poop will make your nitrate levels spike high.

Have you checked your water perimeters lately? ammonia, nitrite, nitrates..

like you said, you could also install a powerhead to blow that stuff off the bottom and towards your intakes for your filters.

I would start by checking your water levels first... and do weekly water changes (you may need one now if your nitrates are high) and by that python--its a lifesaver..

If you have alot of food on the bottom of the tank youre probably overfeeding your fish.. only feed them what they will eat in about 30 seconds (or, thats what i do) and i watch to make sure that the food isnt going to the bottom but being eaten before it hits the bottom.
my guess is with all that food on the floor, your nitrates are high and its affecting the fish--if it gets really high it will kill your fish..

Just my .02 cents--others may have better advice, but this is just what i would do..

 

[CHOMPERS]

Also buy a master test kit. And do 10% water changes daily for the next week or two. When your fish's behavior changes, usually there is something very wrong. Make a run to the pet store and look into a gravel vac at the very least.

 

[mustang98]

thanks for the help guys. I looked up python online and I'm assuming it is the syphen hose with the large end which makes it more convenient to suck gravel off the bottom. I am going to get a test kit for the nitrate levels. I've done my best with water changes and everything so hopefully it isn't too bad. I have an excessive growth of green algae all over the limestone I have and even on the glass when I don't clean the glass. It looks like really healthy algae so I think this is a good thing as compared to brown algae. I'm also going to reduce the amount of food I put in the tank. I have a feeling my room mates feed them more than I know so I'm going to hide the food. Anyways thanks for all of the help everyone.

If anyone has any other suggestions let me know