What are good "Maintenance Schedules" for 29 gallon tank?

[evonner]

I hear so many conflicting arguments about tank and filter maintenance. I am re-doing my log templates and I am curious about other peoples schedules.

I do 25-30% water changes weekly and vacuum poopoo, lol.

I algae clean the glass (only the front now that I have snails).

I check the plants and tank ornaments for slime or needing to be cleaned off or trimmed.

I check my filter media, swish in bucket of tank water if needed. I have coarse sponge, less coarse cut to size bulk sponge, filter floss, bio-max.

I have coarse pre-filter sponges on all my intakes, I swish them weekly.

I replace the bulk sponge when swishing is hopeless. I replace only half of the filter floss at time. I have never changed my main coarse sponge or bio-max.

Monthly, I clean the filter components and impeller. I am running HOB Fluval Aqua Clear filters on all tanks. And bio-sponge filters wtih an air stone inside, I swish those when needed.

My 10 gallon tank has an Aqua Clean 30. My 29 gallon tank has two Aqua Clear 50's running on low with baffle.

So, I'm curious what others do and if anyone has any recommendations to my routine. Much appreciated.

 

[knee]

I scrub algae of the glass, trim plants if needed, remove 50% of water and replace.

Filter gets cleaned every three months or if flow is starting to slow down. Whatever comes first. I also have pre filter sponge but I don't clean those until I can actually see that they're dirty. (both my tanks are filtered with eheim pro4 600)

I vacuumed in the earlier stages of my tanks but once the plants grew in I just took water out. 

 

I think everyone will have different routines which works for them specifically. I personally can't go more than 7 days without a water change. If I wasn't using RO water I'd do 50% water changes twice per week.

[lefty o]

when the tank needs a cleaning, and water change, is when it needs it. i base it on looks, water quality, and condition of the inhabitants. there is no 1 set cleaning schedule.

[evonner]

I just ordered some more plants from Aquarium Co-op. I'm on city community well water and that's what I use. I dechlorinate it of course but there was an equipment failure a few months back and now I have ammonia (.25 ppm) in my tap water so I have to watch everything closely. I test every Friday and sometimes more because I've been recently stocking the tank and unexpectedly have some extras (fry). My filters are doing their job because the tank always test 0 for ammonia. These are some of the reasons I'm re-doing my log templates.

That is true and some of my inhabitants need clean water as they are a little more sensitive than some others.

[rockfisher]

On 3/18/2023 at 4:43 PM, lefty o said:

when the tank needs a cleaning, and water change, is when it needs it. i base it on looks, water quality, and condition of the inhabitants. there is no 1 set cleaning schedule.

That’s me. I know some people will lose it and think I’m crazy but I don’t do water changes unless I see something that says I need to. Could be a water test but mostly it’s the fish. I spend a ton of time watching fish and if I see a change in behavior I will do something. When I do something I don’t do a lot at once. If I change water. I don’t do other things most of the time. I find when I have a schedule I can’t breed as much and I lose more fish with more water changes. I do clean algae when I see it, check filters, and trim plants as well. The only thing I do on a schedule is fertilizer. I have a scheduled for liquid and one for tabs. 

[Cmike15]

I started testing with the coop test strips so i do water changes once a month when i'm busy since my plants keep things under control mostly. i think if i fed heavily it might be different. 

I have plants so i use easy green around once a week. I'm redoing my schedules this weekend so i'll keep to the schedule for more plant growth. I have snails so I also only clean off my front glass.

On 3/18/2023 at 3:37 PM, evonner said:

 

I algae clean the glass (only the front now that I have snails).

 

 

When I am trying to breed i do weekly water changes and raise up some bbs using the coop brine hatcher.