INTENSE cleaning?

[etanico]

Okay, so I'd like for this question to go answered without me being lectured, because I know I was an idiot for letting this happen. My dank is disgusting and it really could use a DEEP cleaning. I have a snail so the walls are algae-free, but the rocks and decorations are absolutely disgusting. There's waste in all the rocks and the decorations went from white to green. I think I need to get both the snail and the fish out for this cleaning. Is that bad? Will the fish be harmed? Will it hurt the tank in any way?

[Pataflafla]

If your tank is cycled, it may harm your tank to take all of the water out.

I don't think a gravel siphon would harm your tank though. That will vacuum the gravel and get the waste out as well as some water.

You can take the plants out and scrub them with hot water too.

If you can't get a gravel siphon or don't want to get one, you can do a major water change (Leave about 4 inches of water above the gravel) and do the scoop method. With that you'll want to scoop up some water and pour it make in to get some of the waste floating so you can scoop it up. This method is less effective than gravel vacuuming, but it works too.

If you're going to be doing the scoop method, you'll want to take out all the decorations and the fish/snails since there will be very little water and that water will be very dirty with all of the waste floating around.

Overall, a gravel vac once a week is a good plan to get into since it will keep your tank cleaner and makes water changes much easier.

[etanico]

Yeah, I've been using the gravel vac since I got the tank. But there was about a month when I got lazy (and now I'm getting punished for it) and didn't clean, just added water as needed. And it just seems like the gravel vac gets rid of more water than it does waste.
But I'll try that again and hope for the best! Thanks!