Gravel Vac - Necessary?

[Sammy1911]

Hi,
I've got a partially planted tank but want to add to this - my question is, when I use the gravel vacumn it can pull out some of the plants in particular the cryps which are slow growing and don't take to being moved. Is there any way around this or do I simply not put the gravel vac into the gravel anymore? I know the plants will absorb the waste matter from the fish but will I not create an amonia buildup if I stop cleaning the gravel??

Obviously this wasn't a problem when I started out as I didn't have many plants but my vallis are spreading out and like I said my cryps are starting to grow now and I really don't want to disrupt them/stop their growth.

My tank is a 60G, small gravel, community tank, PH 7.5-8.0, temp 24, 16GH, 4" by 2". I don't use any Co2 but I do have the fertiliser tabs buried within the gravel.
Thanks,
Sam

 

[FishFanatic04]

Well, I am interested to see the answer to this question. I have been using a turkey baster to suck out poop and debris but on the bigger tanks it can take forever!

 

[stu40]

personally i run the gravel vac over the surface, removing excess debris.I avoid burying it into the substrate.

i want to keep the mulm in there (especially if i'm not dosing the water column).

Disturbing the substrate can lead to ammonia spikes and uprooting of plants.Hoovering just, over avoids this.

just my personal experience

 

[Sammy1911]

O' ok I will give that a try! I've always felt a bit disgruntled once I've used my gravel vac as the water looks worse than when I started and takes a day to settle lol I've always 'dug' it into the gravel as this is what I've seen happen at my lfs
Thanx

 

[This Old Spouse]

Switch to sand and eliminate the problem entirely. Cleaning sand only involves moving the gravel vac above the surface and doesn't disturb the substrate at all. Makes for a much cleaner tank, too.

 

[reignofcheese]

For the most part you do not need to vacuum a planted tank. the waste build up in the gravel will not cause any problems with ammonia - the worst would be that an excessive build up will lead to faster nitrate production, which long term can lead to the necessity of more water changes to keep them in check.

I like to uproot the plants in a different part of the tank every couple of months and give that area a good healthy vacuum. I have not found doing so has impacted growth of the plants, even my crypts, one way or another. This way I'm never disturbing everything or overcleaning the tank as well, yet I'm still preventing too much buildup.

 

[FishFanatic04]

I've been sucking out poo in between close plants with a turkey baster during my water changes.

 

[marieukxx]

I only have java fern and anubias attached to bogwwood. I've been takin it out each time to gravel vac. Is this wrong? I seem to suck up a lot of muck.

 

[gregswimm]

I don't know about you guys but I'm terrible about water changes (I do about 4 a year). When I do change the water, it is generally after I scrape the glass, I take most of the water out of the main water column, only going close to the gravel to get large chunks of stuff. I have kept my kribs alive for almost 2.5 years now, so I reckon I must be doing something right

(I did a water change a few WKs ago, and left the bucket in my backyard, I guess there was a piece of anacharis in there and now I have a huge wad of it lol)

marieuk: to answer your question, I never move my decoration in my tank, not only can it lead to an ammonia spike (from stirring up all the mulm) but I think it causes undue stress to the plants.

 

[FishFanatic04]

Opps I repeated myself Sorry

 

[reignofcheese]

never move my decoration in my tank, not only can it lead to an ammonia spike

In 25 years of fishkeepng I've never heard of experienced such a thing.