View Full Version : Recycling??
Zman16
07-13-2005, 7:47 PM
I'm going to clean out my 29 gallon, but I'm not sure about something. Do you have to recycle the tank after you clean it out?
Depends on what you mean by "clean out"--- if you're bleaching or otherwise disinfecting the whole tank, yes, it does have to cycle again.
If just vacuuming or removing the gravel and simply hosing it out good (which isn't really a good idea unless you like hernia) you likely won't need to re-cycle the tank. Be SURE to NOT change your filter media at this point, just rinse it out best you can, b/c this is where your nitrifying bacteria are going to be most active.
Zman16
07-13-2005, 7:56 PM
I'm going to be vacuming it, but once I refill it with water can I just put all the fish back in at one time?
Kasakato
07-13-2005, 8:04 PM
You do not need to remove the fish. Just vac the gravel, and change the water with the fish in the tank.
Zman16
07-13-2005, 8:26 PM
I can't leave them in there because I'm going to be removing most of the water.
Kasakato
07-13-2005, 8:42 PM
Why? A 75% water change would be good enough.
Zman16
07-13-2005, 9:34 PM
That's was I was going to do except I didn't know they could be kept in the tank. Thanks for the advice!
Kasakato
07-13-2005, 9:47 PM
Yup, moving the fish around creats stress and is not good for them.
Zman16
07-13-2005, 9:49 PM
I wouldn't have thought of that. Thanks for the info. I appreciate it.
Holly9937
07-14-2005, 10:45 AM
You could also do a 50% change back to back, or 50% one day 50% the next, something like that would work also
Kasakato
07-14-2005, 11:02 AM
But you still wast 15% of the water. But then again a 75% is really a 50%.
bubbles42151
07-14-2005, 1:55 PM
i agree with kas you shouldn't move the fish because that stresses them out. a 75% water change is good enogh.