oscar tank substrate - Page 2 - Aquarium Advice

kimo · 07-16-2008, 03:04 AM

"I've personally never tried sand as I love shoving my vac deep in the gravel and looking at the yuck"

Do that with a microscope and you'll see why I refuse to use a gravel vacuum. A perfect food source for the fish. (Ever wonder why gold fish and cichlids dig and mouth the gravel?)

haykay · 07-16-2008, 01:41 PM

you know Kimo to be honest I have seriously backed off as i noticed they are little microorganism bug like things! I was gravel vaccing one day and my water turned really green and looked like it was moving.. so i poured some into a cup and wala! I was seriously impressed and have backed off ever since I figure they must do good and they must taste good so ya... by the wasy is that what bamboo shrimp eat?

kimo · 07-16-2008, 03:57 PM

Almost all fish and inverts eat the micro-organisms (and algae). It makes up for the times when they can't get their regular diet.

I have seen so many new people who think they can keep their tank as spotless as the day it was new... and they try with all kinds of water changes, vacuums, kill the light, etc...or: "ew! its bugs!" syndrome, that the tank is always sick, the fish are sick or the plants don't grow. All they have to do is let nature take its course and most if not all is cured.

I think if grade schools made it a requirement for science lab, for each child to have a small aquarium w/microscope, they would increase the number of kids who take up science later on by at least 200%. Ignorant politicians will never let it happen though....

07-16-2008, 01:41 PM	#12
haykay Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Washington State Posts: 164	you know Kimo to be honest I have seriously backed off as i noticed they are little microorganism bug like things! I was gravel vaccing one day and my water turned really green and looked like it was moving.. so i poured some into a cup and wala! I was seriously impressed and have backed off ever since I figure they must do good and they must taste good so ya... by the wasy is that what bamboo shrimp eat? __________________ Proud sister to a USMC Devil Dog! 7 freshwater tanks and counting!!

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07-16-2008, 03:04 AM	#11
kimo Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Arlington TX Posts: 220	"I've personally never tried sand as I love shoving my vac deep in the gravel and looking at the yuck" Do that with a microscope and you'll see why I refuse to use a gravel vacuum. A perfect food source for the fish. (Ever wonder why gold fish and cichlids dig and mouth the gravel?)

07-16-2008, 03:57 PM	#13
kimo Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Arlington TX Posts: 220	Almost all fish and inverts eat the micro-organisms (and algae). It makes up for the times when they can't get their regular diet. I have seen so many new people who think they can keep their tank as spotless as the day it was new... and they try with all kinds of water changes, vacuums, kill the light, etc...or: "ew! its bugs!" syndrome, that the tank is always sick, the fish are sick or the plants don't grow. All they have to do is let nature take its course and most if not all is cured. I think if grade schools made it a requirement for science lab, for each child to have a small aquarium w/microscope, they would increase the number of kids who take up science later on by at least 200%. Ignorant politicians will never let it happen though....