Help!!!!!! (maintenance)

[Toomz85]

Hey all please please can you help I have a fahaka puffer and I no they can be messy but nothing I do can keep my gravel clean whats the best way .... Or should I change to something else any help or advice is most welcome thanks guys and girls !!!

[Pufferpunk]

How much are you feeding?
What's your WC schedule?
Are you using a Python?
How big is the tank?
How big is the puffer?

[Nuclear_Glitter]

Gravel can often be hard to keep clean because it traps detritus easily. A lot of people have sand in their aquariums because all of the stuff stays on top of the sand. However, if you have sand you must remember to stir it up once a week to release any gases/other bad stuff that could be forming in it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detritus

[Toomz85]

Ex once a week 50% I also use green away once a month if I get funny water he is 4 inches and is fed every other day

[Pufferpunk]

Please answer ALL of my questions. Gravel is fine, just use a graver cleaning attachment on your water change system.

Please stop using the chemicals in there. All you need is Prime. If your water is funky, you aren't doing enough WC.

[Nuclear_Glitter]

Please answer ALL of my questions. Gravel is fine, just use a graver cleaning attachment on your water change system.

Please stop using the chemicals in there. All you need is Prime. If your water is funky, you aren't doing enough WC.

The reason I mentioned the gravel trapping detritus is because I have noticed the type of gravel you use makes a difference. Some gravels are MUCH harder to clean than others.

[Pufferpunk]

Agreed--medium to small grain is recommended.

[Toomz85]

So the tank being by the window isn't a problem then? Also I don't no what prime is I can see if it is in my lfs but I haven't seem anything like that so far in any of the shops I have been in??

[Pufferpunk]

I have tanks by windows. They have algae in them.

[Nuclear_Glitter]

Prime is a water conditioner. Chemicals are bad to use in puffer tanks because they're extremely sensitive to basically anything that's not natural because they're scaleless fish. If you have algae problems due to sunlight, I suggest placing a thick curtain on that window. Answer the questions that Pufferpunk asked, and we will be able to better help you with your problems.

[Toomz85]

Also I use python the tank is 4 x 2 x 2 as he is 4" at the moment ex 50% weekly gravel is med size

[Toomz85]

Oh I have fresh start a water conditioner??

[Nuclear_Glitter]

How much, and what foods are you feeding him?

[Toomz85]

Mussels, worm, cockles that sort of thing every other day and feed him bit at a time so there is no excess waste apart from his own from eating

[Toomz85]

Hey I have been on the link and I do have a couple of java ferns and they have bits the "die" then grow back all the time could this be it??