Big_jpb2006

Hi
Water is really dirty and i want to clean filter i see build up on filter how sho uld i go about cleaning the filter and putting it back in its not a very old filter i put in some plant tablets and they fed up my water and now the filter is disgusting but just dont wanna have to re cycle all over again

agabr123

whenever you do a water change, just rinse the filter media in with the used water (whatever water you just removed from the tank), and just get most of the gunk off of it. you shouldn't ever replace your filter media until it is falling apart, and even then you want to run the old media and the new media together in the fitler so that enough bacteria builds up on the new filter.

also, i may have mentioned this before but your oscar is probably the reason that your water is so dirty. they grow much too large for a 20 gallon tank, the minimum tank size that i'd recommend for just one oscar is 55 gallons.

kojen

i will agree my oscar was a dirty disgusting fish. i would have to clean my filter out about once every other week and that was in a fifty five gallon with two filters.

Big_jpb2006

yeah i took him back to petsmart i just have a tiny cichlid in there now

Big_jpb2006

This Website is **** helpful its amazingi have learned alot in just like 4 days of having this tank Thanks!!!

agabr123

you're welcome do you know what kind of cichlid you have now? if not, could you post a picture?