Deep Vacuuming

[LeafsFan]

I noticed in a thread I read earlier today a mention about deep vacuuming. (couldn't remember which thread)

Is this a bad practice on a regular basis? Or is it good to keep the substrate as clean a you can.

I am a neat freak about my tank, so when I do a pwc I deep clean the rocks. Which is every 2 weeks.

 

[Sake]

What I use to do when I had gravel, is to do a PWC every week, and do a deep vacuum over 1/2 of the gravel, and a light vacuum over the other half just to remove all the poop from the top. Some beneficial bacteria live in your gravel so doing the whole thing all at once can cause a mini cycle in some situations.

 

[calfishguy]

I agree and disagree it might cause a mini cycle in a newer tank but older well established tanks should not go into a mini cycle if you do a total deep vacuuming.

 

[wawgt]

I agree with calfishguy if you have an external filter of some type (as opposed to an under gravel filter). If all you have is a UGF then I would not do a deep vacuum on the entire substrate.