How often do you gravel vac?

[becrac16]

I've kept fish for a while, and 'water change' is synonymous with me with 'gravel vac'. What about everyone else?

 

[jetajockey]

In my planted tanks, never, in my bare bottom tanks, every water change.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Used to be for me too... In a non planted tank, every week IMO. I haven't done a gravel vac in a long time though, since all my tanks are planted.

 

[becrac16]

really? I still gravel vac my planted tank, but I guess its not heavily planted. Do you just never do anything like gravel vaccing on a planted tank? I've always wondered about that. I also wonder how the heck they clean those huge shark tanks at the zoo

 

[mfdrookie516]

I don't do anything other than put the hose in the tank and drain it halfway. If I see something floating around, I'll move the hose over to get it....

 

[giggalz]

i really need to with my big tank..i have white sand..so you can see everything..i'm just putting it off...cause i'd have to move rocks..and its a chore to get them to stack up nicely and not fall down..

any other time..not with ever pwc...i do it when it gets to the point where i need to..

 

[HUKIT]

Not only to I need to vac every week but first I have to put it all to the other side of thank cause some large CA wants to play interior decorator and move 100lbs of sand to the south wing.

The best part is them looking at me like "hey if we all stick together we can take him".

 

[tmdavies]

why dont you need to vac a planted tank, will it just destroy your plants?

 

[kenny69]

I vacuum every second water change, so every two weeks.

 

[jetajockey]

why dont you need to vac a planted tank, will it just destroy your plants?

The gunk goes down into the substrate and becomes plant food. With planted substrates, things like ecocomplete or other fired clay materials, there is enough gaps to let it fall down rather than accumulate on top like with sand, so it's less unsightly.

 

[AquaOne]

All sounds so obvious when you hear (or read) it from somewhere else !
I will do a bit of experimenting by doing the whole gravel-vac on one tank & not on the other. Try it for a month or so and see how it goes.

 

[twoodrough]

I do one side of the tank each week with water change.