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I went away for three weeks and the kid I had take care of my tanks put too much food in the tanks.
I did a 50% water change and I would like do more tomorrow. Is this to much?

Hi,
No, it would not be too much. If the stuff is still
floating and getting into the filter, don't forget to
change that or clean it out as well.(squeeze out the sponge, etc).
Same with the substrate, if it is laying on the surface
of the gravel then vacuum the first inch or two of
the substrate as well.

Just changing the water will not affect the nitrogen cycle
as the bacteria that support the cycle encrust the surface
of each grain of gravel in the substrate as well as the
surfaces of everygthing in the tank.

Go easy on the filter and gravel though or you could have
the tank drop back into a mini cycle.
Be sure that the temperature of the replacement water is
within 2 degrees of the tank water so you don't encourage
an outbreak of Ich.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I had this problem too.

http://www.fishprofiles.com/files/threads/38213.1.htm?8#

Don't change more than you need to keep params under control. The biggest concern is getting the excess food out of the tank. Stop feeding for a couple days and do daily WCs until your params look good. The initial 50% WC is fine but I'd do 25% if you are going to do it daily.

In a case like that it would not hurt at all. Remember to do the filter and the substrate as Frank suggested. Then I would do a 30% weekly water change. Feeding at the moment forget it for at least 3-4 days then a little every 2nd day for at least a week.

Also dont forget to add a good bacteria additive like Seachem Stability with all that feeding and water changes and filter cleaning the good bacteria will require a boost as well.
I do this on a weekly basis with every water change, this helps to keep the goood bacteria in a excellent condition.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info
Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

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Thanks, I have cleaned out my main filter and power head filter. I will leave the main filter alone and I may have to clean out the power head filter daily as it has all ready got very dirty. I think that 25-33% water change for the next few days should clean the tank up and get rid of the smell
Krash7172 thanks for the link to your old post, I remember it. I hope that the work around your home turned out well.

yeah good idea,im always using bio boosters,they can only help i figure...

as everyone has already given substantial advice for everything else i figured soince no one else mentioned it that i should say, if you go away again, take a plastic sandwich or zip-lok bag and divide however much food that you would feed in one day into each of the bags, that way its not like the kid is just opening a jar and pinching in random amounts of food for them. that way too you will know that they are getting set amount of food and its kind of like you never even went away!

I even have to to that with my wife!

I also instruct feeding only every other day or even every third day when I am gone for a week or more.

nice.lol every third day would be a sufficient amount when away.

I do the bag think normally however I was gone for three weeks and I have 2 tanks so that would be 40 bags. I gave her a measuring spoon. It does not look like she used it.

yea, next time get a person that you know will use it

you can also use a pill divider (the kind you would think old folks use to remember to take their meds)... this can ration off day/night/evening/afternoon/etc. although i never feed my fish the same amounts on a day to day basis it cant hurt to have a set amount for an individual to dump into the tank throughout the day... the new pill dividers can come in a varieties of forms too so check them out at your pharmacy, just make sure to wash them out very well before and after using them!

add a bacteria booster too, it will help wonders! I feel yoour pain i got back from a two week counselor job at a camp and my mom and little brother had over fed my cherry shrimp tank killing 10 paradise fry, 80+ shrimp (at a dollar+ a piece) and all of the plants in there (at least 50 dollars worth!) its annoying and sucks, but its all part of the game.

Good luck,
-Brandon

\\\\\\\"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure\\\\\\\"