tank cleaning

Oops! I had meant to post these a while ago when I cleaned the tank out and put the new plants in, but I must have gotten distracted by my final exams.* Behold! The stages of cleaning a tank.

First, you take everything out of the tank and put it in a bowl to be scrubbed and rinsed. With the algae-crusted plants from the water, this usually looks like the beginning stages of a really gruesome cole slaw. But I didn't take a photo of that. I did get a photo of the tank without all its decorations, and the fishies are not happy:


See how they crowd? Silly little fishes. The filter will not save you from mommy's stealth net! HA!

Once they are all swept up into a container (here, a water bottle with the top cut off), then comes the scrubbing.


Lookit them, swarming in the bottom of the bottle, all dramatic-like.


Then, you pop open the containers with the brand new plants they're going to have! And rinse those off and put them in the tank with newly-scrubbed treasury and archway. A little fresh water, and just add fishies!

Next time, I will get some photos of the cleaning process so you can see the ridiculous mess I always end up making (it usually takes me two bath towels to mop up, even though I try -- TRY MIGHTILY -- to keep things from spilling). Alas. Next time, folks!

Stephanie

* Which just confirms what I've suspected for some time: I should totally stop with all the studying and be a fish blogger full time. The life plan is go, people.