Question

I just returned from a holiday trip to find some green algae on me orientalis tank walls. Also, there seems to be a collection of a type of scum (not poop and dunno what the hell it is) under my drift wood. I use a gravelless tank btw. So i rinsed my filter (not thoroughly and i kept the sponge too), scrubbed off the algae and did a 50% change. When i reintroed me newts, one of em went ballistic while the other seemed fine. The ballistic one is supposedly the tougher of the 2 and it tried to get out of the water asap. It now rests on my moss laden cork bark. This is the first time i rinsed me filter since i bought it abt 2 mths ago. Ballistic behaviour in my other newt was displayed when i first got my newts. No specific question here, just hoping u guys can pt out any faults so that i can improve the cleaning procedure. Thanx guys.

I think 50% is way too much. How did you rinse the filter?
Probably due to a big environment change suddenly. I know it makes me go ballistic anyway

Did you let the water stand for 24 hours or so and use a dechlorinator? Did you wash the filter in the dirty tank water and not in tap water? Those are the first two things that come to mind.

why is it important to wash it in dirty water? i knda washed it in tap water last week?

Well the chlorine of tap water is toxic to amphibians - some are more sensitive than others. The real problem comes when using chloramine since it doesnt evaporate. My water contains chlorine so I am not very concerned about these things. I have heard of amphibians that starts sneezing when affected by chlorine, but I have never had any problems - I think the chlorine problem and newts are primarily a long time exposure problem not an acute one. As I said before though some(individuals) are more sensitive than others.

Yeah. I Know My Guanxi Warty Newts Are Not Bothered About The Water But I Still Keep It Healthy. Thanx Anyways

Sam - I think they'll be OK, they just need to readjust. Was the driftwood old, or a new addition to the tank? Some wood is unsuitable due to stuff coming out of it, sometimes fluffy white stuff. Maybe that's what you saw.

Dean - rinsing the filter sponge in tank water keeps the good bacteria alive. The chlorine in tap water kills them. The good bacteria (which grow in the filter and also on all the surfaces inside the tank) are an important part of keeping tank water healthy.

thanx alot jenthanx for replying to my posts by the way

Jen, the wood was attached to the anubias (or rather the other way round) and i dun think it's old. Btw, the fungus on the old wood with the windelovs were so problematic that i removed it. I tied the windelovs on a small piece of granite and they're doing just fine. No white fluffy stuff in my tank btw. But i do notice the brown thingy likes to collect under that wood, most prob cuz it has a very irregular bottom shape so it does not totally rests properly on the tank floor. Btw, I'm very certain the stuff's not frm the wood.

Jesper, I had the sneezing prob when i first had my newts in untreated tap water. Great thing that Nate told me (thanx man) and i made the switch. I also agree 50% too much, never did so much b4 but got no choice, had to remove as much debri frm tank as possible, mine's a 5 gal tank btw.

Rob, i washed the filter in tap water. I thought it shouldn't do much harm cuz my dechlorinator was always added in excess. I have never left the water to stand before cuz i thought (and still do) that that was neccessary only to remove Cl so i've not done it since i use a dechlor. I've never heard of the practice of washing the filter in dirty tank water b4, i understand the principle of doing it though (thanx Jen). Can u elaborate the procedure Rob?

Dean, u do use dechlorinator do u? Very impt for newt's health and bio filter!!! My newts ate heartily last time when they were in untreated tap water so i tot the sneezing had to do with something else. But in the end, it was the water. They stopped sneezing a few minutes after i swapped to treated tap water.

Phew, what a mouthful! Thanx guys for answering my post!