Gravel vacuuming

[senorkevin]

I am in the middle of cycling with fish in and doing a lot of water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite down. Should I vacuum the gravel while doing a WC or just like once a week?

 

[threnjen]

I think once a week is fine.

 

[senorkevin]

Would it help with the cycle/ammonia levels while cycling to clean more than once a week?

 

[threnjen]

A little bit maybe, but vacuuming also slightly disturbs the bacteria that grow on the gravel, so it kind of has pros and cons.
I'd do it no more than twice a week if you feel it's getting dirty and needs it.

 

[mrvincent]

IMO, gravel vaccum the most often possible is the best. I vaccum once a month in my planted tank, as the substrate is hard to reach because it's covered by carpeting plants and other plants.

As you have fish while cycling, you want to keep the water clean, but not too much, water colums need ammonia and nitrite for the bacterial growth in the filters, but not too much, so that don't affect fishs.

 

[enrgizerbunny]

I'd vacuum on top lightly to get surface waste each WC, but only do I deeper vac one a week. I vacuum half my gravel once a week with my water change now.

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[pip walters]

Bacteria will be attached to the gravel. Removing the mulm via a gravel cleaner may lose some bacteria, but not too much. Use the gravel cleaner weekly, but clean just half of the gravel. That way, bacteria from the other half will multiply and re-populate the cleaned portion. The following week, clean the second half. Alternating like this ensures you always have plenty of BB on the gravel.

 

[senorkevin]

That sounds great. Thank you for the tip

 

[mrvincent]

Don't worry about siphoning bacterias on the substrate, 95% of the BBs are in the filters media.

 

[Caliban07]

If there is bacteria on the gravel then it has grown for a reason. I would still take care when hoovering the gravel. But still, it's better to get as much waste out as you can.

There's no need to vac the gravel during your cycle unless this is a fish in cycle (forgive me I didn't catch which type of cycle this is) I am in favour of the half gravel vac method too.

Other reasons to gravel vac thoroughly would be in the event of a parasite problem.

There will be a lot of bacteria in the filter but I haven't come across anything to suggest that there is 95% in there. Each tiny piece of gravel will have a decent size surface area and there are a Lot of pieces of gravel in my aquarium that's for sure. Not to mention all my plants and decor.

 

[mrvincent]

There will be a lot of bacteria in the filter but I haven't come across anything to suggest that there is 95% in there. Each tiny piece of gravel will have a decent size surface area and there are a Lot of pieces of gravel in my aquarium that's for sure. Not to mention all my plants and decor.

Probably initially a lot of bacterias grow in the gravel, but if you siphon them, the filter will have to compensate, so BBs will be forced to grow in the filter... So on long term, don't worry about oversiphonning the gravel, never had any issues with this.

It will give you stronger "filter cycle" if you clean often the gravel IMO... Probably if you never clean the gravel and one day you decide do a big clean, you'll have a mini-cycle...

 

[senorkevin]

It is a fish in cycle

 

[mrvincent]

Then just clean the gravel while you do the waterchanges, you won't see any difference, except a cleaner tank.

Anyways, bacterias "glue" to surfaces... The only thing that comes out from a gravel vaccum is gunk, waste, and a little bit bacterias...

 

[senorkevin]

ATM I clean the gravel about 3 times a week. Once the cycle is complete I will clean when needed. I think my cycle is almost complete. Ammonia is 0 and nitrite is 0.1

 

[mrvincent]

ATM I clean the gravel about 3 times a week. Once the cycle is complete I will clean when needed. I think my cycle is almost complete. Ammonia is 0 and nitrite is 0.1

So you'll not get mini-cycle when cleaning substrate next time .

Keep doing like this, that's the key to have a tank that look clean and healty !

 

[Caliban07]

Probably initially a lot of bacterias grow in the gravel, but if you siphon them, the filter will have to compensate, so BBs will be forced to grow in the filter... So on long term, don't worry about oversiphonning the gravel, never had any issues with this.

It will give you stronger "filter cycle" if you clean often the gravel IMO... Probably if you never clean the gravel and one day you decide do a big clean, you'll have a mini-cycle...

I can understand your logic there but what if there is only one floss pad in the filter?

What I'm saying is it depends on the amount and type of filter media and therefore it can't be assumed that the will be more bacteria in every bodies filter.

Also mechanical filters don't really remove waste they collect it which means you have to rinse the media regularly to keep it effective. You are also said to lose bacteria when doing this. Having a good gravel colony can compensate also..

 

[mrvincent]

I tought bacterias were stacking like java moss when growing

 

[Caliban07]

I tought bacterias were stacking like java moss when growing

They need surface area. The will grow on every surface area in the tank. Filter media provides lots of cubic feet of surface area so naturally there will be lots of bacteria in there. Although gravel looks smooth, under a microscope there will be plenty of surface area for bacteria to populate.

Bacteria need oxygen to survive and if filter media gets dirty it will clog up making it more difficult for bacteria to do its job. The scale of how much this effects the overall biological filtration Is unknown.

In my opinion bacteria in gravel and filter are equally as important and should be treated the same. Remember that some saltwater keepers use live rock as their biological filtration.

I had a 47 gallon which supported the bioload of 3-4 inch blue acara. I changed them for 4 x 2 inch firemouths but I also changed the decor in the tank. 2 big rocks and a large piece of bogwood. I also cleaned some of my pebbles. The next few days one of the firemouths was looking a bit poorly. I checked my parameters and ammonia had gone up to 0.5 ppm. Must have lots enough bacteria in the decor change than I thought.

 

[Caliban07]

Edits:

2 x 3-4 inch blue acara

Lost enough bacteria

 

[mrvincent]

Edits:

2 x 3-4 inch blue acara

Lost enough bacteria

Probably colored epoxy coated gravel will look smooth under microscope

Probably it applies to substrate like Fluval Substrate, aquasoil and other substrate for planted tanks.. Anyway, we know some BB are on the gravel, as it become slim coated with jelly over time... But I mean the gravel vaccum doesn't remove the "jelly coat" on gravel... You have to scrub the surface for BB to be removed...