Python use.

[martiniduck]

I have been using my Python for a year now to vacuum the gravel in my tanks when I do PWC. I try to get as much of the crud in the gravel as possible. I have both an under gravel filter and a power filter on my 29 gallon tank and just a power filtler in my 10 gallon tank. I was doing some reading at a different web site "The Skeptical Aquarist" and it states that you should never vacuum the gravel. It says that the more debris the more bacteria the better. It says their should be a layer of Biofilm form in the gravel like the soil found in the bottom of a lake. I was under the assumption that more debris means more ammonia/nitrite/nitrate? Will this be compensated by more bacterium? Will doing PWC only be enough to handle the excess Nitrates? Does anyone else not vacuum the gravel?

 

[meegosh]

I always vacuum my gravel/sand. Leaving things build up in the gravel just poses problems in the long run. Usually the nitrates will just build up to extremely high levels. That is also why many people don't use under gravel filters. Things seem to get trapped under the plates and foul up the water.

I bought some for my 10g when I first started out and I quickly removed them and just used a regular Hang on Back (HOB) filter.

As far as the bacteria/debris relationship, that is not true. The bacteria will grow on any surface of the tank, mainly in the substrate, plants, etc.

 

[dkpate]

I don't vacuum my 20 tall or my 75. The MTS take care of all of it for me. The 10 with the mystery snails and the 10 and 5 betta tanks do get vacuumed, because they don't have as many snails, and the mystery snails poo A LOT.

 

[Blueiz]

There is a huge difference between a lake and and enclosed system. Your bacteria (bological filter) is only going to grow to the size that is needed. Think supply and demand.

There is no invert or fish that will completely rid your system of poo. If they do eat the poo they are only utilizing the nutrients in it that the poo maker didn't, however they will in turn create poo that will need to be removed at some point.

 

[dkpate]

Nope, there is absolutely nothing left in my tank. And my readings are 0, 0, and 5 ppm, in both tanks. I have not vacuumed them in over a month.

 

[meegosh]

I think you are the exception to the norm dkpate. In general you should do proper maintenance on your tanks regularly. Most people don't have tons of snails in their tanks. I do in my 10g with sand but I still vacuum it weekly.

 

[dkpate]

Yeah, probably an exception because there are only 2 fish in the 75, not much waste to take care of.

 

[mfdrookie516]

yeah you are the exception. if i left my 150g without doing a vac every week, i wouldnt be able to see the sand for all the "poo" that my fish produce. not to mention the parameter issues it would cause me.

 

[BigJim]

Now that I have established MTS populations in my tanks, I don't really vacuum the sand. When I had gravel, it got vacuumed regularly. The amount of crap that builds up in the gravel is amazing.

 

[martiniduck]

Thank you I will continue to vacuum the gravel. A couple of other things, I am confused about.
First: I see a lot of people using sand and not gravel. Is there a benefit to that? or is it just a mater of taste.

The second: Is the negativity about under gravel filters I read about here. I have an under gravel with two power heads. Doesn't the flow of the water/debris getting circulated through gravel create a large biofiltration system? I may be wrong, but here is what I thought about under gravel filters. The amount of gravel on the bottom of the tank creates far more surface area then any HOB filter. Gravity forces the waste to fall on the gravel, and the power filters circulate oxygen to the bacteria for the bacteria to break down the waste. I will do what's best for my tank. I will remove the under gravel if it is a detriment to my tank.

 

[Bige]

The ph pulls the debris below the gravel. Then it sits. If you were to lift it right now you would be shocked at how much crap was under it. Next time you do a water change, take off your ph and put suction hose down the tube. This will help reduce the build up. Eventually you might want to consider removing them.

 

[BigJim]

I have sand because I like the look, it's a heck of a lot cheaper than gravel from the store, and my fish like it better.

UGFs get a bad name because they pull a ton of waste down into the gravel and if you don't vacuum it out, it becomes a serious nitrate factory, often killing fish. It's a perfectly fine filtration system if you do the maintenance on it.

 

[martiniduck]

Thanks all. That makes sense.

 

[cabezon]

wouldnt a UGF be more effective if the circulation was up through the gravel rather than down?

I wouldnt know, I have a DSB and a flual 205 running a surface skimmer and a 404, in my 55.

 

[meegosh]

Some people do run RUGFs (reverse underground filter) ...I have never seen one in person. don't know how effective they are or what the maintenance is like on them however.