"Tasslehoff" wrote in message
u...
About 45 minutes for my 4'x18"x18" every two weeks reg 40% WC. Every
other 2nd week 60 minutes inc WC, light gravel vac on 2"x18" jungle of val
& cleaning the spay bar from BBA and thinning out plants. Every 4 months
80 minutes inc WC, val vac, spray bar and glass scraping to get rid of
spot algae and finally about 30 minutes every 4(closer to 6 months) for
cleaning the cannister filter or 50 minutes every other 6 months cleaning
the cannister hoses with my trusty McD shake machine cleaning brushes and
the Co2 reactor with high pressure water and shaking.

It sounds like you're fairly heavily planted based on your good algae
control. What fertilizing regimen do you follow?


"Bill Stock" wrote in message
...
I've read about people spending half an hour a week (or less) maintaining
their planted tanks. I simply don't frickin believe it! Either they live
in a perfect world or they're doing an awful lot of daily maintenance
that's not being included in the weekly total.

I spend about 45 minutes a week on the GF tank alone, which does not
include the monthly filter cleanings. Just the basic algae scrub, gravel
vac and water change. The planted tank is probably about half an hour,
but it should be a lot more and it's starting to show. If I ever tear it
down and build a real aquascape, I could see spending two hours a week on
it.

Today for instance, I did the algae scrub, extended gravel vac (BGA
outbreak), filter clean and larger than normal water change. This
probably took an hour or so. Then I spent another hour disinfecting the
floating plants in Permanganate and doing the same for the large Pagoda
(Loach hideout). This time doesn't include any plant maintenance, other
than scrubbing off the BGA before the gravel vac. Then tonight I'm
walking past the basement door and hear one of the pumps cavitating.
Damn, go to check it out and notice how dirty the glass canopy has
gotten. I can't believe I didn't notice it earlier, so I grab the
scrubber and attempt to remove the white crap. It wouldn't touch it this
time. OK, time for the vinegar. Half an hour later I had the glass
pretending to be clean again. But the damn pump is cavitating again...

So what's your REAL maintenance schedule and tips.

P.S. This post is somewhat tongue in cheek for the humour challenged.