Is it true you don't need to clean an aquarium with a filter

Question

if i got a 10 gallon aquarium with filter and algae eaters, and bottom feeders i would never have to clean it right?

Answer 1

No, that is not true. although you have algae cleaners algae still builds up. you have to fully clean your fish tank every 6 weeks, that incluids rinsing rocks etc..

if you keep fish inyour fish tank you have to change half of the water every 2 weeks. and with the new water you put in there it cant just be tap water, it must have water conditioner.

although the filter does get rid of some dirt & gunk, it doesnt get rid of all of it. if you dont clean your fish tank, your fish will die....

its hard work - i know. i work at an aqurium.. beleive me ; you still need to clean your fish tank as i said above.. good luck =]

Answer 2

Wrong.  You would absolutely need to perform routine water changes and vacuum the substrate.  Using any type of fish to "clean" your tank is one of the biggest mistakes new fishkeepers make.  Most fish that perform "janitor" functions create a lot of waste.  This waste must be cleaned by you.

A 10 gallon tank is far too small for most bottom feeding fish, too.  A common plecostomas needs a minimum 20 gallon tank.  All you could keep in your tiny 10 gallon tank is 3-5 panda or dwarf corydora.  Cory cats eat very little algae so plan on feeding them algae wafers.

ALL tanks require cleaning.  No filter will eliminate this need.  

Answer 3

that's true you wont have to clean it. the only time you will have to clean it is when you're fish die and when you're filter breakes.

Answer 4

You will have to clean it, because the waste products won't all be taken care of with your filter and they will build up and kill your fish.  When you start up your tank, you'll need to "cycle" it - which could take weeks.  During this time, your fish will be exposed to things that could also kill them.  Here's more info about the cycling process that I copied from another question I answered:

All tanks need cycling! Like every living thing, waste is produced through breathing and excretion from digestive processes. In layman's terms, fish produce waste products from breathing and pooping. All fish do this. A cycled tank has the right balance of good bacterial colonies present that convert the fish waste product (ammonia, harmful to fish) to nitrite (also harmful), then nitrite to nitrate (safe up to a certain level). Without these good bacteria, waste products build up in the water and cause damage to fish gills and internal organs. Think about a fish swimming around in it's own pee/p**p - yuck.

Okay, the process... There are many methods and experts won't agree on which is the best. The best method for YOU is the one you can do in its entirety, from set up to cycled without causing harm (or death) to fish.

You can choose to cycle with fish, but you risk damaging or killing your fish if you don't watch the waste levels closely and take corrective steps. Cycling without fish is a great way to achieve results without endangering fish, but it can be more difficult. Either way, patience is necessary to see the process through. It can take well over a month to properly cycle a tank.

Cycling with fish - get a few small fish and introduce into your tank. Test daily for ammonia and nitrite for the first couple of weeks. You must perform tests with liquid drop kits or test strips, although test strips aren't as accurate. If you are cycling with fish, I recommend the liquid kits. You'll see a gradual increase in ammonia first, then after a time a gradual increase in nitrite. Both of these can be reduced with frequent partial water changes. Make sure you use some sort of water conditioner because chlorine will kill any beneficial bacteria colonizing in your filter media, and your tank will never cycle. Both ammonia and nitrite will reach their maximum and then you'll begin seeing nitrates. Gradually, your ammonia and nitrite levels will reduce to zero. A tank is cycled when ammonia and nitrite levels are zero and you have nitrates (the end product of your bacteria colonization).

Cycling without fish would require you having access to at least a handful of gravel from an already cycled tank or some filter media from an already cycled tank. The cycling process will proceed as above, but you'll need to find some sort of ammonia to "feed" the developing bacterial colonies. Some recommend distilled ammonia being added every other day or so. Some recommend "feeding" your tank with fish food, a little bit a day. The uneaten food will fall and begin to decay, producing ammonia.

There's lots of info on the web - do your research. Filters are "beds" where the good bacteria colonize.  Once properly cycled, they should take care of the ammonia and nitrites.  But they won't take care of the nitrates, which can be harmful to your fish if not kept at low levels.  

Good luck!

Answer 5

No.

most algae eaters and bottom feeders produce more waste than other fish

It would be nice if it worked that way though.

algae eaters need supplimental feedings, and most get over a foot long.

Bottom dwellers are the same thing.

no fish eats p**p, or removes amonia nitrate and nitrite out of the water.

also, never COMPLETLY clean a tank.