Vacuuming

[Inker]

This is my very first post, I have been viewing posts for the past bunch of weeks and now have my very first question to ask, and seeing most here are really knowledgeable, I figured this would be the best place to get my answer.

I have yet to buy a gravel cleaner (the syphon tube, not battery opperated). I was reading online that you need to remove ornaments plus plants before cleaning the gravel. Ok, but I have a few live plants (whisteria's), and if I remove them, they are uprooted, and I will need to place them in gravel again. Does this harm the plants or "shock" the plants? So if I don't need to remove them, how does the gravel under the plants get cleaned?

What is my best route when it comes to this, and also I have no problems going the full route if need be to get the best cleanup job

Thanks for your help in advance

Inker

 

[odjbo]

Well Inker,

I normally skim the surface of the Gravel with a low capacity syphon tube, (otherwise it's too quick) 'spot' syphoning any areas in need of attention...

The Deep digging you are thinking about de-nutrifies the substrate that your healthy plants needs to thrive...

D.

 

[Inker]

I understand not to take away from the plants, but what about the build-up under the plants, is it ok to do as you said, just do a surface cleaning over the area where the plants are and (deep) clean the gravel else where? Or is it important to leave the buildup under the gravel as well over the entire tank?

And what is the best time periods, ie... once a month?

Thanks again

 

[Rose]

Inker all you gotta do is lightly vaccum the tank bottom. Forget about getting under the live plants. The stuff that is there is helping them grow, so leave it. As for the fake plants and the decorations I move those around once a year maybe twice a year so I can get under them. That's about all. As for the areas that don't have anything in them, on them or around them vaccum about once a month and you'll be fine.

Rose

 

[Debo]

WOW...am I hearing this right? DO NOT GO UNDER DEEP IN THE GRAVEL???
Utt OHHHH!!!!!
I go all the way down to the bottom of the tank....once a week. I don't do the entire thing all the time, but most of the time. My water is always ok.
Should I stop doing this??? It is just so GROSS and brown and YUCKY!!!
Deb

 

[Inker]

I seen one of them cup n hose syphoning (gravel cleaners) and guessed they were or are the best to clean the gravel, I wonder the same thing, are they a must or justa surface clean with the battery opperated vaccum i use to clean the sruface of the gravel of buildup.

 

[Lithril]

I use the syphon style gravel vacuum but I've also got a small pump which fits onto a drill (beats the hell out of putting your mouth around the pipe ) I normally clean gravel about once a fortnight as the corys and ancistrus seems to do an excellant job of keeping everything clean. The plants I leave in but tend to take turns in which piece of stone etc I'll clean under next. You don't need to go that deep with the gravel I normally push the vacuum into the gravel just enough to start sucking it up, then lift it up again so if falls down, gravel drops, debris gets sucked up. You don't want to go too deep especially if you're keeping live plants.

 

[Debo]

Hi,
I am not keeping live plants-YET ANYWAYS.......
I guess I'll have to take it easy on vac day!!! The fish haven't ssemed to mind and the tank is sparkling!!!
Deb

 

[allnatural]

Debo,

If you DON'T have live plants, then you do want to keep your substrate clean. You probably don't need to do it once a week though. But if you don't mind spending the time, I guess it's OK. Once you get the live plants though, clean sparingly. The plants like the gross, brown, yuckey stuff.

--Tim

 

[Moe]

Hi Inker and welcome to the forum! If you have to purchase a gravel cleaning system I'd look at this one:
http/www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...d=6&pCatId=3910
It is called the python. It is so easy to use, it hooks to your faucet. You can clean the gravel, drain out the water and then refill the tank in one easy step. It takes me less then 5 minutes to do the whole operation. I have a planted tank I change 20% of the water once a week. I vacuum the gravel on one half one week and the other half the next. I never move the live plants. Just vacuum around them lightly making sure not to disturb the roots. Good luck and think about investing in that python product. It is so easy and you never have to mess with buckets or priming a syphon with your mouth.
Note: I've also ordered from that link. Nice products at good prices. They will also send you a really cool catalog for all the stuff you never knew you needed.

 

[Inker]

Thanks for the info, and I am glad i joined the forum, allot of the people on here seem well informed and I have come here to follow plenty advice.

I do the draining currently by air hoses, and have no problems. I have seen a few people now mention primming with thier mouths, I couldn't do that and have not been doing that. I simply submerge the tubing into the water and let it completely fill end to end and then plug one end with my thumb (like you would with a straw in a drink) that holds the water from draining out.

Next I move the end I am plugging over to the jugs I am filling and remove my thumb and gravity takes over. The water flows quick and smooth till I bring the tube back up and raise it high enough the flow stops.

I use 10 L water jugs you buy at the super market as my container as it has handles and I am carrying them to the sink to poor out, it takes 5 - 10 minutes to do as I run several air tubes into a few jugs and never have a mess to deal with.

Now that it is getting cooler out, and I read about how dissolved gasses in the tap water creates air bubbles and can harm the fish, I fill a few of the jugs and leave them out over night to break the air down that is in the water. I also treat the water anyway with clorine and cloramine remover regaurdless that i am leaving it out over night.

Thanks for the welcoming and the info.

Inker

 

[Debo]

Hi have one of those PYTHON things. For some reason , my faucet isn't right and I can't hook it up. What I did do though, is attach the 50 foot hose to my gravel cleaner..................and ran the hose out my sliding glass door. This is really convenient. Waters the grass and gets rid of the fish water at the same time. I then use big 10 gallon buckets to re fill the tank. The next time the plumber is here we are going to have him look at our faucet so we can use the python to fill the tank back up. Lots of lugging!!!!
Deb