Planted tanks and vacuuming gravel?

[hazee]

How do you guys get the gravel clean in your planted tanks. I don't have a huge number of plants at the moment but i would like alot more in the future. I'm having to practically replant all my plants every time i do a water change as it is... what do you do with a totally planted tank?

 

[bigfoot150]

Well if you are planning on getting alot more plants then I wouldn't vacuum the gravel at all. Vacuuming obviously removes all the extra poo and fish food that normally causes nitrate spikes and such. Well plants actually use nitrate so there is no need to vacuum the gravel. However, I do still suggest that you remove any ditrus aka dead plant material as that just makes for a dirty tank.

 

[Balloon Fish]

I would vacuum any open areas until you do really get any plants in there and eventually it will just get dirtier again. In my tank everytime i do a water change almost all my plants are pulled up but not to vacuum the gravel but to clip the plants. I have never vacuumed the gravel in my tank since the first month, but i do keep my filter as clean as possible, in a heavily planted tank plants provide enough surface area for bacteria to grow on so cleaning the pad a lot doesn't really matter.

 

[SANND]

I rarely vacuumed my tank with gravel and the plants always did fantastic. Then I changed to sand and was keeping it pristine clean and the plants started dying. I've started tilling the sand instead and the plants are growing again and I'm happy cuz the sand looks nice and clean

 

[hazee]

Thnx all... that's a big help.

 

[Fish Friend]

if you wanted... you could use a tube as a mini siphon to get in between all those plants and rocks n stuff that the big siphon cant

 

[revfred]

Yes, I use a very small gravel cleaner and just surface clean the gravel and plants. You don't dig around to uproot the plants. I do this during water changes, then when I am done vacuuming, I use a larger diameter hose to remove water faster.

 

[Cutlass]

I just vacuum anything I can and leave the rest alone. The benefit of having plants is that you don't have to do as much maintenence to your tank. I take that back, because I do spend more time now trimming, arranging, and clearing dead leaves.

 

[Exevious]

I just vacuum anything I can and leave the rest alone. The benefit of having plants is that you don't have to do as much maintenence to your tank. I take that back, because I do spend more time now trimming, arranging, and clearing dead leaves.

the benifit of having plants is that they help to keep your nitrates in check...
Nothing will ever get you out of maintaining your aquarium....