Bottom Coverage

[CaBur]

I wanted to get some grass or baby tears to cover the bottom of my tank, but I was wondering how I would be able to clean the rock substrate of old food and stuff without sucking up all the bottom covering. Would I not need to clean the bottom if it was covered with grass or something comparable and I were to get a ground scavenger such as a crayfish? Any ideas?

 

[Bobtastic]

You should be able to use a gravel cleaner to get waste matter off the bottom with "good technique", but you are probably over feeding if you have a lot of excess food on the bottom of you tank.

I would probably avoid crayfish, as they may just eat the plants or even the fish! Shrimp would be a better option as a "clean up crew", I've heard that they are really good at keeping moss and the like clean.

Beware that you'll need good light, nutrients and Co2 to grow/keep a plant carpet healthy.

How the info helps.

 

[CaBur]

That answers my question, thanks. I'll try feeding the fish less, but my biggest problem is the fish poo that builds up on the bottom. Would the plants help break that down or would I still need to try and pull that out with a gravel cleaner?

 

[loraxchick]

you have to clean it up. its really not so bad to clean carpet plants (so long as they are well rooted so as not to suck them up). just hold the syphon a small distance away from the bottom and kinds swirl it a bit to kick up the gunk...then it should find its way up the hose sort of like cleaning sand-just takes some trial and error for how to do it best. its all about technique
cheers

 

[RadaR]

Larger more powerful filters will suck up detritus before it settles. We encourage large filters in planted tanks. They also have the benefit of delivering the nutrients and CO2 to the plants.

 

[anshuman]

this thread really helped me, i am in same boat, I have planted tank but lots of barren sand everywhere with good light showing on bottom as i trim down my water wisteria etc. I will be using Riccia for carpetting (by tying it down to plastic mesh) and Java-Moss Wall on background glass. Its a goldfish tank . I hope i manage to clean off the bottom sand.

 

[Fats]

this thread really helped me, i am in same boat, I have planted tank but lots of barren sand everywhere with good light showing on bottom as i trim down my water wisteria etc. I will be using Riccia for carpetting (by tying it down to plastic mesh) and Java-Moss Wall on background glass. Its a goldfish tank . I hope i manage to clean off the bottom sand.

Hi,tried riccia and java moss a coupe of years ago in a goldfish tank and they destroyed it

Ian