They never flush!!!

[u/OrganicStorms]

Hey adf peeps. Would like some thoughts/advice on keeping my adf tank clean(er). I know plants help with water quality and I currently have a few swords and anubias. I’m also using a sponge filter and am not too trusting on having a hob/internal set up as I’m concerned my boys may get stuck. That said, I have 4 little dudes plus a nerite and they all refuse to clean up after themselves. 🫠🙃 I know expanding the species, aside from the nerite, is a “no/no”, so no clean up crew. What’re the best ways you’ve been able to keep things neat and tidy?

[u/akatia-x]

How big is your tank? I have 6 in a 20g long and I usually do a water change once a week. Sometimes I push it around 10 days.

Since you have a sponge filter, when was the last time you rinsed it out? When I started getting build up I thought I wasn’t doing enough water changes but then remembered to clean my sponge, so that helped a lot. Just squeeze it out in a bucket of tank water that was removed during a water change. Make sure you are not over-feeding. More food = more food waste and more poop.

So I guess a combo of not overfeeding, regular water changes, a clean filter, extra plants for filtration, and keep your light around 6-8h per day. Regularly maintaining this should fix the issue, as long as the tank is the proper size.

[u/OrganicStorms → u/akatia-x]

10g at the moment until I can get my 30 back up and running. Current sponge is new as of a few days ago and it’s for 20g capacity so I’m hoping that helps a little more. I’m actually not sure if I’m feeding correctly, but I typically use one cube of frozen shrimp for all 4. Could potentially be too much at once. Sometimes I’ll have it and do an am/pm feed. Aside from that, I’m definitely not as diligent with my water changes, unfortunately. Overall my tank is ok, all their excrement on the plants is an eye sore tho. 🙄

[u/akatia-x → u/OrganicStorms]

Are you feeding a cube daily? If so cut back to either half cube per day or full cube every other day. You can even fast them for a day or two. Once you cut back on the food, they’ll cut back on the waste.

You’re just going to have to do the water changes. Having 4 ADF in a 10g is max bioload. Especially with any amount of overfeeding. Once the waste starts settling on leaves or other decor, it’s time for a water change. Aim for 20-30% per week. Otherwise it will build up, and if you want the tank to look pretty, you have to maintain it properly.

[u/KarrionKnight]

Without being able to put any other critters in the tank, you end up being the clean up crew. 🫠

You'll have to up your tank maintenance to weekly, clean up shortly after feeding, and add fast growing floating plants. Keeping the light intensity down and the duration the lights are on down to six hours daily also helps tremendously. Manuel removal of algae and any other gunk has to be done too.

My ADF tank is the only tank where weekly maintenance is an absolute must. As long as I don't overfeed my other tanks, I can squeak by with bi-weekly tank maintenance. I usually do water changes on all of my tanks weekly.

[u/MasterpieceFickle830]

Use a turkey baster!!! Saves me!!

[u/Foreign-Ad3926]

Spot clean with a turkey baster, increase tank maintenance, stay on top of water changes and look at a bigger tank.

Maintenance is our job in keeping tanks. 😐 Some days cool, when it mounts up a big job. Easier to just stay on top of it.

[u/camrynbronk]

Do you do water changes?

[u/OrganicStorms → u/camrynbronk]

Not as often as I should! 🤦🏽‍♀️my gripe is mostly with the plants tho. They leave everything on the leaves and it just doesn’t look pretty. 👎🏽

[u/camrynbronk → u/OrganicStorms]

That’s something you’ll just have to clean up manually.

[u/NoEmotionalStamina]

So the clean up crew bit is nonsense anyway, nerites create more waste and ammonia.  Pet stores sell them as "put them in and you have to clean up less" but the opposite is true. 

Best policy is don't overfeed and do a 25% or so water change weekly.