Cleaning a planted tank

[countryfan05]

As I am adding more plants to my 26g, I wonder how the heck I will clean this thing. So I was wondering, those who have med to heavy planted tanks, how do you get a good clean?

Thanks

 

[Purrbox]

Gravel vac bare areas that aren't planted and hover over the planted areas to pick up the excess gunk. The rest will work its way into the substrate and provide nutrients for your plants.

 

[Jchillin]

I usually wait until the detrius has built up enough to be either visibly annoying or when I re-plant. I need those nutrients. But, like Purrbox says, lightly, ever so lightly across the top.

 

[travis simonson]

Malaysian Trumpet Snails can also help clean surface debris. They come out of the substrate at night and munch away on any loose gunk. Handy little guys.

 

[kaz]

will mal tru snails spread to more snails?

 

[travis simonson]

will mal tru snails spread to more snails?

If you mean will they reproduce and spread, yes, quickly and massively. Their population is self-limiting in a way; if there is not enough of food (in the form of detritus, algae, etc.) for them, their population will go down until they reach a sustainable level. I love them

 

[kaz]

they are then a have to have in a planted tank with my current stock once i transfer to a bigger tank?

 

[kaz]

I found this, is this a one timer thing or are they really that much to handle?

I have a 415 liter heavily planted community tank with an assortment of fish: angels, neons, a feather-fin squeaker catfish, white clouds, lemon tetras, blue rams and others. Three years ago I noticed a trumpet snail. A few months later I had dozens of them. Eventually I had thousands of them. Every time I cleaned the pump’s foam filter, I would wash out 300 to 400 tiny snails. And twice that many when I cleaned the canister filter. During the day they burrowed in the gravel, coming out at night and they would cover everything. It was difficult to keep new plants in the gravel because the snails moved it around so much, and when I dug a hole, I would dig up scores of them. They were constantly clogging the filters. The good thing is they cleaned up all of the dead plant debris, kept the rocks clean, aerated the gravel, cleaned the glass somewhat, cleaned the plants somewhat and didn’t harm the live plants. I think they also lowered the pH of my water by removing minerals for their shells. I bought two small clown loaches to try to control them. The clown loaches had a field day. They grew very fat and happy over the course of a year, while decimating the snail population. Unfortunately, the plant debris started to build up again, the pH rose from 6.5 to 7.8 and the rocks and gravel became discolored. Six weeks ago I traded in the two loaches in hopes of bringing back the snails. The pet store was happy to get them; they were the healthiest loaches they’d ever seen. Yesterday night I saw three small trumpet snails on the glass. After the population grows, I’m going to try to control them with some nighttime netting.

 

[sudz]

Hmm... I have a 2,5 ich loach. How big do trumpet snails get, and would he eat a full grown one?

I'td be nice to keep a stock of fully grown ones, and let the clown loach do its thing for the babies.

 

[malkore]

even clown loaches will be hard pressed to snack on the larger MTS, as their shells are much harder than ramshorn or pond snails.

 

[sudz]

Hmmm... Good to know. Think i may have to pick a few adults up from the LFS.

If i just get ONE large one... It'll... reproduce by itself, correct? or is that a common myth?