# Dead plant debris and tank maintenance



## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

I am just wondering how much daily work you all do on your tanks? Planted tanks certainly take some up keep or rather, mine do. I have Pennywort floating and daily there are leaves that come off that I scoop out. Other plants shed leaves and whatnot and it needs to be taken out. Dead leaves on plants trimmed off etc... 

How many of you do regular maintenance and what all do you do? How often? Any good shortcuts I may not have thought of?


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

Inga said:


> I am just wondering how much daily work you all do on your tanks? Planted tanks certainly take some up keep or rather, mine do. I have Pennywort floating and daily there are leaves that come off that I scoop out. Other plants shed leaves and whatnot and it needs to be taken out. Dead leaves on plants trimmed off etc...
> 
> How many of you do regular maintenance and what all do you do? How often? Any good shortcuts I may not have thought of?


I think you might just be obsessing over a little bit of plant debris - I think some debris/mulm in the bottom is natural, is just fine and comes out with the weekly water change gravel siphon. 
If it really troubles you, then you 'can' remove it, but it's not necessary and does no harm.
Besides feeding, monitoring and watching, maintenance is pretty much weekly for me. :smile:


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## iamgray (Jul 16, 2010)

I pretty much just leave it be other than when I'm doing water changes... and even then, all I do is remove whatever dead stuff is mushed into the filter intake. Most of the dying plant matter seems to get picked over quite thoroughly by the fish so I usually just leave it for them to take care of.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Once a week I do water changes on all tanks, and it includes wiping down all four walls and doing any pruning that needs to be done. On a daily basis my hands will go into at least one of my tanks (all are planted) to pick out any leaf matter that may be floating, to prune off something that I missed at water change time, or hit an area of algae on the glass that I missed. Half of the fun in aquarium keeping for me is "futzing" with them.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

aunt kymmie said:


> Once a week I do water changes on all tanks, and it includes wiping down all four walls and doing any pruning that needs to be done. On a daily basis my hands will go into at least one of my tanks (all are planted) to pick out any leaf matter that may be floating, to prune off something that I missed at water change time, or hit an area of algae on the glass that I missed. Half of the fun in aquarium keeping for me is "futzing" with them.


 
Thanks for not allowing me to be the only obsessive compulsive fish care taker. ha ha I like putzing also. Heck, I sit around thinking of where I could add a plant or how I could switch things up to make it look better. I refrain from doing much change as I do not want to upset the fish but I think a lot about it. I don't remove all the debris but I do scoop some... Often.


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## AbbeysDad (Mar 28, 2011)

Inga said:


> Thanks for not allowing me to be the only obsessive compulsive fish care taker. ha ha I like putzing also. Heck, I sit around thinking of where I could add a plant or how I could switch things up to make it look better. I refrain from doing much change as I do not want to upset the fish but I think a lot about it. I don't remove all the debris but I do scoop some... Often.


So move the living room furniture around every week! :smile:


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

With the way my living room is, there isn't much I can change but I do change something regularly.  It is just one of those things, I guess. ha ha

I do have a Java Fern that is sucked up against my filter intake and I am leaving it there. It isn't cutting off the water supply so, for now it can stay. It is sort of cool because it kind of covers up the intake which is so mechanical looking. I prefer it not show anyhow. I do change my filters often and I do sift through the gravel regularly. I just like the tank to be as clean and fresh as it can be without upsetting the fish too much. They seem used to me cleaning the tank and don't seem to get upset over it. Each time it is done they do sort of victory laps around the tank. It seems like they are happy with the freshness or something. 

Also, I do like adding new plants from time to time just because. They don't seem to mind that either.

Now... How do you guys get all the dead Ramshorn snail shells out of your tanks? My tank is littered with them after the addition of the Assassins. Some of them suck up with the Python but others must be too heavy. I have been picking them out as I can but again, don't want to freak the fish out too much so my hand bouncing around in there would freak them out too much.


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## LasColinasCichlids (Jan 4, 2011)

I dont fuss too much with my tanks, personal choice. On average maybe once a week I fuss with them when doing water changes, gravel vacs, or moving a plant or piece of decor that got moved by the previous cleaning or by a fish. I dont bother with plant debris unless its in my filter intake or floating at the top of the tank. 

I do sit and watch each tank for at least 30 mins a day just for fun. Does that count as fussing? lol 

I sometimes wish I fussed more with my tanks, but then I worry I'd get mad and stop enjoying them as much if I did.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

I am going to try cleaining my Angel tank 2 times a week in practice for Discus. They need to be cleaned several times a week, don't they? I know they are very fussy fish and I want to know for sure I can handle that before I even consider getting any. I have the process down to a science and it doesn't take me long but then, the Discus would have to be in the larger tank with larger quantity changes. 

I guess I am used to interactive pets and to me, part of that for fish is messing with the tank. Cleaning, or rearranging or planning or something. Today I am planning on changing out a sword plant that doesn't look right where it is. Don't know if I will get to it today as it is Easter and there is much to do with family get together. Tomorrow maybe.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Inga said:


> I am going to try cleaining my Angel tank 2 times a week in practice for Discus. They need to be cleaned several times a week, don't they? I know they are very fussy fish and I want to know for sure I can handle that before I even consider getting any. I have the process down to a science and it doesn't take me long but then, the Discus would have to be in the larger tank with larger quantity changes.


Discus need several water changes a week?? Please don't tell that to my Discus! They think twice a week is perfectly fine!! :lol: 
Contrary to popular opinion, Discus aren't all that fussy IME, as long as you start out with healthy specimens to begin with. After keeping them for two years I have to say they are no more work than the other fish I keep. Like just about everyone else who starts out with these fish I was constantly stressing about them. (ie: is that a torn fin? Is that an unusual looking poo? Why isn't this one eating as well as the others?). 

I had to deal with an issue of parasites at one time, and also had to deal with a serious eye injury. Now that I have two years under my belt I can happily say that now I can just kick back and enjoy them. They are great fish. I have to shoo them out of my way when doing water changes, they have such personalities. My mated pair that spawn weekly will even go about spawning right smack in the middle of a water change. Much more interactive than all my other fish combined!


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Do you feel like you have to have several Discus or can a person have one as a centerpiece fish in a tank?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Inga said:


> Do you feel like you have to have several Discus or can a person have one as a centerpiece fish in a tank?


Discus must be in a group. They are social fish, like angels, and in a group will be much more natural and "relaxed" and that equals healthier. I would consider five minimum. I'm thinking of perhaps getting Discus for my 115g which I want to tear down and reset one of these days. Check our profiles, all three species of discus are included.

Byron.


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## redchigh (Jan 20, 2010)

ooh, I'm excited to see that. Discus would be amazing in your amazon setup.


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

redchigh said:


> ooh, I'm excited to see that. Discus would be amazing in your amazon setup.


The main drawback is the fish in there now, and the high temp discus need. Most of the Corydoras species (I have 25 corys in this tank) would have to go elsewhere because of the temp. The Nannostomus beckfordi would have to go because they would drive discus to utter distraction, but they (the pencils) could easily move into the new 90g riverscape. The rummys would be fine, and the cardinals. And the Roberti tetra.

I also have ideas on the substrate; I would like shallow sand along the front, but need a very deep substrate at the back for the large Echinodorus so I'm thinking the Flourite Dark (sort of brown mud-looking) for the back, with a suitable divider running the length of the tank to keep the sand separate. Cork works well, siliconed together to make it a solid separator. And it can be made to look like a riverbank, which is what I want.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Guess I need to look into the larger tank before getting the Discuss then. Maybe a 180 so I can have the Discus AND the Angels together?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Inga said:


> Guess I need to look into the larger tank before getting the Discuss then. Maybe a 180 so I can have the Discus AND the Angels together?


I would not combine discus with angels. I know, some do, and other members may chime in that there is no issue. But there is. Jack Wattley, who arguably knows more about discus than anyone else, has frequently written in his monthly TFH column that discus and angels should not be together. His prime concern is feeding; angels are very fast aggressive eaters, and discus are not. Jack says discus will sometimes refuse to eat in the presence of aggressive feeding fish and literally waste away. He has raised thousands of prime discus in his 80+ years, and is highly respected across NA and Europe and the Far East; I tend to listen to folks like that.


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

I agree 100%. I'd never consider having any fish that would compete for food because I know first hand Discus will shy away at feeding time if this happens. I keep only bottom feeders and a small school of cardinals with my Discus. Once I moved out the other fish that also swam in the same water strata as my Discus I noticed a HUGE behavorial difference. What were once shy fish became fish I literally have to push away from my hands when I have the need to put my hands in the tank. 

Byron, I look forward to the day you get them, as I know you'll give them exactly what they need. You're going to love them and all your other fish will take a back seat. I know mine have.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

I believe water changes with Discus are about ones expectations,and whether fish are juveniles or adult fish.
Juvenile fish do most of their growing in the first eight months ,and this growth depends largely on numerous small feedings Daily ,which in turn requires more frequent water changes in my opinion to remove excess organics as well as provide clean oxygen rich water.
Adult Discus can get by on fewer feedings and fewer water changes.
Agree with other's with respect to Angelfish and Discus. Discus from my observations,spend considerable time after feedings foraging.Angelfish are much more aggressive at feeding time and this could prevent Discus from getting enough food.Adding more food to ensure both get enough food ,makes maintaining water quality more difficult.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Good to know, thanks everyone for that. I guess I saw others with both in their tanks and thought it was alright. I am not in any hurry to get anymore fish. I guess it will come down to whether or not I end up with a large enough tank that I can dedicate to Discuss alone. 

What would be a minimum size tank and minimum number you would need to have very happy, healthy fish?


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## Byron (Mar 7, 2009)

Inga said:


> Good to know, thanks everyone for that. I guess I saw others with both in their tanks and thought it was alright. I am not in any hurry to get anymore fish. I guess it will come down to whether or not I end up with a large enough tank that I can dedicate to Discuss alone.
> 
> What would be a minimum size tank and minimum number you would need to have very happy, healthy fish?


Tank: four feet in length. I would suggest after that, a 70-75g volume would be minimum. It could be managed with a 55g, but for the extra few inches in width, go for the 70-75. Or for a few inches more in depth, a 90g, same "footprint." I have a 70g and 90g, filter is the same for either, same heating requirements, same substrate volume. With discus, the added height would be nice. I believe kymmie has a 90g, 1077 I believe is 75?

I would recommend 5 discus minimum.


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## 1077 (Apr 16, 2008)

Byron said:


> Tank: four feet in length. I would suggest after that, a 70-75g volume would be minimum. It could be managed with a 55g, but for the extra few inches in width, go for the 70-75. Or for a few inches more in depth, a 90g, same "footprint." I have a 70g and 90g, filter is the same for either, same heating requirements, same substrate volume. With discus, the added height would be nice. I believe kymmie has a 90g, 1077 I believe is 75?
> 
> I would recommend 5 discus minimum.


Yes, I kept six juveniles in 75 gallon tank and then moved them to 80 gallon tank as they reached adult size.
I too would recommend minimum of five Discus for they are social fish that feel more comfortable in a group.


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## Inga (Jun 8, 2010)

Thanks all. I would like a group of Discus but right now I am not equipped to handle their needs so until I get another larger tank, I will hold off.


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