Cleaning A Tank With Real Plants

[prue07]

Hi everyone, im really new to keeping live plants but seeing as though im looking to get a knew 170 liter tank, i thought i might give it a go (btw, what do you think of the size..it was this or a 205 liter...im a water saving fanatic keep in mind). Just curious, if im planning on getting plants such as java moss etc or really 'ground dwelling' plants, how do i go about cleaning out my tank? Does it mean i have to remove it all in order to clean the gravel? Won't this damage the plants?

 

[prue07]

geeze..would love a reply..

doesn't matter, i think i know anyway.

geeze..would love a reply..

 

[Crajik]

Does it mean i have to remove it all in order to clean the gravel? Won't this damage the plants?

I don't remove my plants because I fear it will damage my plants, especially the well rooted plants. I don't know how heavily planted your tank is but I can barely see my gravel, which means I can't use my old gravel vac, it's just too big. Now I just use a fairly thin plastic tube and carefully go around the base of my plants. This seems to keep my tank clean enough. I guess in a couple of years I may have to empty my tank and give it a good clean, but by then I will be more than ready for a change anyway.

 

[waterdrop]

Begs the question whether planted tank folks do indeed sometimes pull a whole plant out when it needs extensive pruning and work on it on a wet tray, keeping it sprayed. Anybody do this or is it too traumatic to the root system for even a quick clean like this?

 

[frozenbarb]

Just suck up water thats all. leave the gravel alone and plants.

 

[prue07]

But what about everything that builds up under the gravel, waste etc..? Doesnt that need to be cleared up? I just worry the tank wouldnt be cleaned properly..

 

[Miss Wiggle]

But what about everything that builds up under the gravel, waste etc..? Doesnt that need to be cleared up? I just worry the tank wouldnt be cleaned properly..

it's important here to differentiate between a planted tank and a tank with plants in.

when people here discuss planted tanks, they mean a tank where something like 70% or more of the substrate is covered with plants, very very heavy planting. what's recommended for these tanks may not be what's recommended for a tank with just a handful of plants in.

if you have the former then generally you leave the substrate alone, any debris which gets into the gravel acts as fertiliser for the plants, if you have the latter then you should vac the 'bare' substrate as normal but leave the bit around the plants that you have so waste will build up to fertilise these plants.

 

[prue07]

Ok, thanks for the input. I haven't started yet, so im just trying to learn really. So im guessing i should simply clean as per usual until my plants really grow and my tank evolves into a heavily planted tank, in which case il try to avoid moving much at all. Makes sense!! thanks again

 

[aaronnorth]

most of the waste will be used as a fert for the plant anyway.

 

[prue07]

um yeah...im pretty sure miss wiggle just said that sooo........................................................thanks.








haha that was mean sorry. Just thought it was funny, my bad

 

[Joshy]

But what about everything that builds up under the gravel, waste etc..? Doesnt that need to be cleared up? I just worry the tank wouldnt be cleaned properly..

it's important here to differentiate between a planted tank and a tank with plants in.

when people here discuss planted tanks, they mean a tank where something like 70% or more of the substrate is covered with plants, very very heavy planting. what's recommended for these tanks may not be what's recommended for a tank with just a handful of plants in.

if you have the former then generally you leave the substrate alone, any debris which gets into the gravel acts as fertiliser for the plants, if you have the latter then you should vac the 'bare' substrate as normal but leave the bit around the plants that you have so waste will build up to fertilise these plants.

What if I have a ‘planted tank’ but all of my plants are non-substrate-rooters. All my plants grow on bogwood, but the tank is very heavily plants. What would you suggest then Miss Wiggle?

Josh

 

[aaronnorth]

um yeah...im pretty sure miss wiggle just said that sooo........................................................thanks.








haha that was mean sorry. Just thought it was funny, my bad

he he, oh yeah

 

[Esfa]

Begs the question whether planted tank folks do indeed sometimes pull a whole plant out when it needs extensive pruning and work on it on a wet tray, keeping it sprayed. Anybody do this or is it too traumatic to the root system for even a quick clean like this?

now and again i rip all my plants off, give them a shower under a power-shower, trim roots, trim stems, and replant.... they grow EXTREMELY fast for about a week... they seem to love it.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

But what about everything that builds up under the gravel, waste etc..? Doesnt that need to be cleared up? I just worry the tank wouldnt be cleaned properly..

it's important here to differentiate between a planted tank and a tank with plants in.

when people here discuss planted tanks, they mean a tank where something like 70% or more of the substrate is covered with plants, very very heavy planting. what's recommended for these tanks may not be what's recommended for a tank with just a handful of plants in.

if you have the former then generally you leave the substrate alone, any debris which gets into the gravel acts as fertiliser for the plants, if you have the latter then you should vac the 'bare' substrate as normal but leave the bit around the plants that you have so waste will build up to fertilise these plants.

What if I have a ‘planted tank’ but all of my plants are non-substrate-rooters. All my plants grow on bogwood, but the tank is very heavily plants. What would you suggest then Miss Wiggle?

Josh

now your getting picky, if you plants do not feed from the substrate and you can get to the substrate then it should be vacc'd.

 

[deucebrennan]

I have a planted tank and i gravel vaced the other day. I have ####ed it right up. Now my plants have no ferts and my filtration has suffered. Nitrites are off the scale!(chart only goes as high as 5ppm) Ammonia is around .5ppm. I have to keep doing 50%+ water changes and dosing liquid ferts till it all stabilizes again.

Well i think thats what i should do?

Any ideas folks?