How I Clean and Maintain All My Large Aquariums

[@mikemiller659]

I had a 100 gal. reef tank for 15 years ..Until a child visiting my housemate walked by dropping a 9-Volt battery into the filter sump..It took me a week or so to Finally discover the reason All the livestock in the aquarium looked Sick !! The battery had released the acid and other chemicals into the tank....After 15 years I was Done. For years after I would have dreams about the tank..thinking I had forgotten to feed them. This man has a Beautiful setup. Freshwater tanks are easier but he has several to service. Living in SF I would worry about earth.Quakes knocking the tank over. great video thanks for posting.

[@cichlid_kings]

Nice work. Great point on doing larger water changes on the African Cichlid tank. More fish/heavy eaters should have bigger water changes 😎

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks!

[@rikscichlidaddiction25]

I've been doing 75% water changes every Friday. I thjnk I'm going to try a 40 to 50% instead

[@mitchellrodriguez1794]

The peacock tank is looking so good

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you!

[@tjautocross]

Thanks for sharing your maintenance process! Always good to see how other people do things.

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks for watching! 👊🏻👊🏻

[@brianbuczynski3555]

Display tanks are exquisite! Love the videos!

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you, appreciate it!

[@readysetawesome]

This is a solid technique. If draining to a sink or yard at a lower altitude like I am, one can use gravity to keep the siphon running. I use a reservoir and my sump for seamless water changes to avoid stressing the fish… first I fill the reservoir from tap, add safe, add equilibrium, aerate to mix for 20+ min. I run the Python siphon from first sump compartment to outside discharge below tank. At the same time I fill the last sump compartment (where the return lives) from the treated reservoir with a small utility pump. The water height in the tank never changes (good for my frameless tank) and fish stay happy.

[@CichlidBros]

Interesting and effective method!

[@krzysztofkopaczewski4319]

Great work👍and keep you fit 💪💪💪

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks!

[@robertrescolaandcodywilson7809]

Great content. Your work is very comprehensive and your commentary is relaxed and easy to learn from. Thank you for the education. You are a very attractive man as well so that's a super bonus. You definitely earned my subscription..great job stud, keep it up!

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you for the kinds words! Welcome to the channel!

[@wickedskillz101]

Hey man thanks for walking us through your process ! Question for you: for your Malawi tank - when you’re doing a water change, do you also dose cichlid salt / baking powder / check pH etc ? Do you try to match that stuff from the incoming water to the pre existing water? Any recommendations on how to do that for a Tang tank? Or just hardness everyone once in a while and try to keep it steady ish ?

[@jasonsingh5293]

great i would like to have some thing set up like that for my water changes thanks for sharing beautiful aquarium's

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you!

[@mattriggs.aquaria]

Very nice. Thanks.

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks for watching!

[@Rick-xy4bt]

Hey Troy... I just picked up a new Canister filter to replace 1 of the 2 HOB's on my 75 gal. 1 of the HOB'S will be remaining on the tank. I want to use the old media from the HOB thats coming off and put it in the canister along with the new media that came with the canister. Does it matter if the old media is before or after the new media? In other words, should the water flow through the old media before hitting the new, or does it not matter?

[@mikesmith-wk7vy]

I just researched them they make a magnet tank cleaner for acrylic tanks now easier than the shower cleaner by hand

[@CichlidBros]

Yeah I’m not a fan of any of those options. Found it too easy to scratch or get sand between the cleaner and acrylic

[@davekirk8580]

I'm thinking of getting a cichlid tank. Could you list out the equipment you use / recommend...filters, pump, hoses etc.. your water changes look very efficient. Thanks

[@CichlidBros]

- Sicce Ultra Zero Pump: amzn.to/3ClfENH - Python Water Changer: amzn.to/3a17dbb - Acrylic/Shower Scrubber: amzn.to/35pufwd

[@DanieL-by6xs]

With your large tanks you have, have you considered using a 3/4 inch inner diameter hose to speed things up ?

[@jozephjozeph6746]

Hi. Tanks are lovely. What kind of “container “ are you using for sump at your 150g tank?Thanks

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks! It’s a Seamless Sump

[@pkang934]

Great vid! What’s the plan with the EBA babies? Do you plan to sell them?

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks! I talk about the plan in this video! kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWe9dnxnjdmXgrs

[@learg948]

I’m late to this video I was wondering how often to change live plants 🌱 in the aquarium??

[@james_zapanta]

Awesome tanks you got there. Love it. Btw. Which is safer not only for the fish but for the filters as well? Treating tap water before putting it into the tank or like the one you said in the last part, putting dechlorinator directly at the tank as tap water fill it up then turning the filter on again. Thanks

[@CichlidBros]

Thank you! I've never had issues with the fish or the filters when adding directly to the tank as it fills. We've done it this way for years on tons of tanks without a problem

[@johnjr47]

I have a Fluval 307 Fluval recommend that you replace the filters once a year and replace the bio media every six months what is your recommendation?

[@robertsmith8795]

Can I ask why you use chemi pure blue instead of chemi pure elite? I'm just about to get some to try out on my 150 gallon but elite seems to be more suited to your, and my, setup than the blue? Do you use a different amount in your filter or stick to the instructed amount in the packaging?

[@makiarn777]

I don’t run my water when I use my python. All you have to do is get it running first then just cut the water off. It drains just fine unless you kink the cord or step on it like I do sometimes. All you have to do is get it going again if that happens. Easy peasy. I’m thinking I want to try your method.

[@CichlidBros]

That’s a great way to do it! It is a fairly slow drain if you have a large tank which is why I find the pump so helpful. But good idea nonetheless!

[@amazingaquaticsandexotics3030]

great video

[@CichlidBros]

Thanks!

[@captainog6201]

What is your favorite brand of sand I’m setting up a 75 gallon tank and overwhelmed with all the options

[@CichlidBros]

I really like the Carib Sea sunset gold sand

[@kyleefloyd3443]

So you list merch but not the products used in video? Thanks a lot.

[@CichlidBros]

Didn’t list the merch anywhere and all links are in the description 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@scottroberts3881]

I drain my fish water right out to the front lawn. Keeps my lawn nice and green...

[@zsworld6609]

i have annibus and jungle val in my African tank. does pretty well with combating nitrates

[@CichlidBros]

Yeah I tried many times over the years and they’re always shredded up over time

[@gmyoumk22]

Is the Prime the only water additive you use? TIA

[@CichlidBros]

Yep

[@gmyoumk22]

Thanks. Been using stress coat but thinking about changing to Prime. As far as volume of water to change. If I want to do 20% a week, better to to all at once? Or smaller amounts every couple of days?

[@rara5212]

I wonder why you wouldn't just simply add some plants in that nice Aulonocara tank? Suggestion: one of the two crinums, a Valisneris type and a hardy Ludwigia...

[@CichlidBros]

I’ve tried. All plants get ripped up over time

[@rara5212]

@@CichlidBros ohh missed that one. Sorry my bad. Ripped out or eaten up? My Aulonocara never touched a plant. If just ripped out, you could lock that crinum -or other- down with stones.

[@bernandoturner4840]

Nice job.. why are you not into the Bigger Cichlid’s… you got the room for them..😄

[@CichlidBros]

I have some pretty big cichlids … Oscar, chocolate, severums, etc. and my tanks are fully stocked

[@bernandoturner4840]

@@CichlidBros Im Talking about some Dovii & Jaguar cichlids… you do A Great Job.. Nice Video as Always..❤️✌🏾😀

[@davidgonzalez-mv4wl]

I tried canisters but once I got into sumps never looked back 😜

[@CichlidBros]

I have a sump on the 150. The 180 wasn’t pre-drilled. And my smaller tanks it’s easier to use other filtration

[@reggie2803]

What kind of sand do you use in your tanks?

[@CichlidBros]

Carib sea sunset gold and crystal river in the 180 and 150 respectively

[@davilawendy]

Where we can buy the hose to empty the tank

[@CichlidBros]

Python Water Changer: amzn.to/3a17dbb

[@lukefoster5595]

How do you maintain you ph?

[@CichlidBros]

I keep it consistent with the water in my area. Never chase hardness or PH in my opinion

[@davidgonzalez-mv4wl]

Oh no you use canisters 😆

[@CichlidBros]

I use a mix depending on the need, and my canisters work great 🤷🏻‍♂️