Algea Wafers & oto cat

[topher-j]

I bought an oto cat, and some algea waffers to feed it.  When I put the wafer in, it just broke down into this green mush, which looks really awful.  

It's been in there for 2 days, and I don't think he's eaten much.  Should I clean it out now, or just leave it for him to clean up.  

Any other recommendations for food for him?

[artw]

honestly I don't really feed my plecos and I never fed the oto cats.  they were all very fat so ovbiously they had enough food from leftover flake etc.

[ambushman2j]

I would take it out, it's just causing nitrates most likely

[topher-j]

ok,

That leads me to another question about cycling that I've had.  After the amonia and nitrites are converted to nitrates, how come they no longer appear?  Wouldn't the fish waste still produce ammonia?

[ambushman2j]

it's very quickly converted to nitrites then nitrates..generally you'd never see a high level if everything is working the way it's supposed to..nitrates however cannot be removed by bacteria in a freshwater tank..live plants however will use them, other then that only waterchanges

[topher-j]

ah, I see.

One more slightly unrelated question, ahah.

How often should I change/rince my filter media.  I have a sponge, and two filter medias (a carbon one, and one with white rocks I forget the name of).  I heard you should replace them once a month, but I also heard that you should never replace them because it takes away good bacteria.

[Marc]

I'm guessing you have an Aquaclear filter or something along those lines.

Rinse the sponge in a bucket of tank water or dechlorinated tap water every 1 or 2 weeks.  Make sure not to use regular tap water as the chloramine in it will kill the bacteria.  As you rinse it squeeze the sponge enough to get most of the gunk out of it but don't over do it.  You don't want to get rid of all your bacteria.  The sponge should last years.  You should only replace it when it gets hard and brittle.

If you want to use carbon replace it about once a month.  Some people dont use carbon because regular water changes (25% every week or 2) will do the same job.

I'm guessing the white rocks are ammonia remover.  Toss them out and never use them again.  They serve no purpose in a properly cycled tank.

Marc

[Marc]

P.S.  When replacing a sponge in an Aquaclear filter put your new sponge in the bottom of the filter and put the old sponge on top of it.  Run the filter in your tank like that with 2 sponges for at least a month.  Then throw out the old sponge.  This way you avoid having ammonia and nitrite spikes.

[topher-j]

So just having the sponge is enough if you do regular water changes?

[Marc]

So just having the sponge is enough if you do regular water changes?

That's how I run my tanks.  I only have a sponge (or other type of filtering media) in all my filters.

Other people like to use carbon anyways.

Nobody I know uses the ammonia remover stuff.

[artw]

I agree with Marc
Cabron and white ammo remover is useless.
you only need carbon if you are removing medications.
You never need medications either

just put 2 sponges in the ac and alternate cleanings every 2 weeks.  you really dont even need to do that. I tapwater rinse mine all the time and my fish are perfectly fine  (which is to say I have sponge filters and aquarium glass surface with bacteria on it enough to hold the cycle over until the sponges re-kick in)

[Marc]

The 2 sponge idea is great I may start doing that.

Personally I wouldn't risk tapwater rinsing all the sponges in one filter at once.  I find that risky.  Especially if you're cleaning the aquarium glass at the same time.

Although it's obviously working for Art or he wouldn't be recommending it.

Marc

[artw]

I dont clean the aquarium glass (rons plecos do that)  and I very rarely clean the sponge filters.  of course I do not advocate tapwater rinsing if same is the only filtre on the tank.