Change 1/2 water
Vaccum the gravel
Rinse filter sponge in tank water and replace carbon gravel stone thingies.
Is this all?
If not, what order and what else should i do?
Also what do i do when using the Gravel Vacuum, remove fish and/or ornaments so i can get all the gravel and to prevent me sucking up the fish?
1/2 the water is a lot to change and will stress your fish out. Try weekly changes of 10 - 20% depending on your stock. Rinsing the filter in tank water and changing the carbon once a month is good. As far as a gravel vacuum, do not remove the fish, just work slowly around them and you shouldn't have a problem sucking them up.You should move the ornaments to get under them. Just treat the water with a dechorinator before adding it to the tank. Good luck
the fish will usually stay away from the gravel vac. removing them from the tank is a risk and i don't recommend it. i've always kept the fish in the tank.
you do have to replace the sponge occassionally. i'm guessing you have the aqua clear filter? you have to change the carbon more often. it only stays active 2 weeks or so. the gravel things are a space for bacteria to grow. you don't really want to change that unless its getting really dirty. the sponge is what you want to change the most. of course some of the bacteria grows on here too. but if this is too dirty then the filter wont work properly.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com oh. and just move the ornaments around as you clean. you don't have to take them out of the tank unless its easier for you.
just remove 1/4 of the water, but dont over vaccum the gravel, just skim over it ... they need a little bacteria in the water
dont remove the fish.
if you do water changes once every 2 weeks you dont need to "clean" the tank very much at all ... maybe once every 8 months
