Cleaning Planted Tanks - Aquarium Advice

Psybuster · 08-13-2005, 02:08 AM

I have a dilemma here. I'm going to have a heavily planted tank very soon, however i'm not sure how exactly I will be able to clean out all the poop from it. My fish are pooping machines and all they do is that. I know i won't be able to use a gravel vac. I'm wondering if my XP2 will be able to handle it. Or is there another method to this?

RoLeX · 08-13-2005, 04:40 AM

well if u use black gravel, u wont see it and it will eventually break down and be a natural fertilizer for a plants, i like this as it cuts ur cleaning time + gives palnts nutients, and black gravel makes ur plants and fish colours look great

.

Or if u dont want to do this jsut skip over the top of the gravel u can see to get rip off excess poop

Jchillin · 08-13-2005, 07:22 AM

Very true...planted tanks require a significant amount of mulm (detrius) within the gravel. This breaks down into nutrients that the plants need. As Rolex states, this is another benefit of the planted tank in that you don't need to gravel vac as often or as much as with a non-planted tank.

Skimming is ok, so long as you don't skim too much.

tailbarlionfish · 08-13-2005, 02:48 PM

I normally just use my gravel cleaner where theres no plants and kim around the areas where theres plants. Works for me

Zezmo · 08-13-2005, 10:39 PM

Same here, I lightly vac the bottom and un-planted spots. I made a [acronym:caa9b7c663="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:caa9b7c663] python style vac. It has a one inch diameter vac, that lets me get in the narrow spaces between plants.
Other than that I always keep some ghost shrimp in there as a clean up crew and snacks.

**travis simonson** · 08-13-2005, 11:31 PM

Since I started keeping carpet plants about a year ago I haven't had to gravel vacuum at all. I also think my Malaysian Trumpet Snails help out quite a bit with keeping the floor clean.

Psybuster · 08-14-2005, 02:34 AM

ahh ok i was just wondering so i guess the fish waste is good for the plants. i think i got everything squared away.

08-13-2005, 02:08 AM	#1
Psybuster Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 65	Cleaning Planted Tanks I have a dilemma here. I'm going to have a heavily planted tank very soon, however i'm not sure how exactly I will be able to clean out all the poop from it. My fish are pooping machines and all they do is that. I know i won't be able to use a gravel vac. I'm wondering if my XP2 will be able to handle it. Or is there another method to this? __________________ 29 Gal Planted Community Filstar XP2 \| [acronym:e7d83c25dc="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:e7d83c25dc] Topfin 30 \| Pressurized [acronym:e7d83c25dc="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e7d83c25dc] Plants : Wisteria \| Amazon Sword \| Sag. Subulata \| Pennywort \| Cabomba Green Fish : Angels \| Corycats \| Rainbow Shark \| Harlequin Rasbora \| Red Tailed Shark -- Much Thanks to Travis for the donated plants

08-13-2005, 04:40 AM	#2
RoLeX Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 51	well if u use black gravel, u wont see it and it will eventually break down and be a natural fertilizer for a plants, i like this as it cuts ur cleaning time + gives palnts nutients, and black gravel makes ur plants and fish colours look great . Or if u dont want to do this jsut skip over the top of the gravel u can see to get rip off excess poop __________________ 20 Gallon Malawi 110 Gallon Malawi

08-13-2005, 07:22 AM	#3
Jchillin Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York, NY (The Big Apple) Posts: 12,959 Images: 47	Very true...planted tanks require a significant amount of mulm (detrius) within the gravel. This breaks down into nutrients that the plants need. As Rolex states, this is another benefit of the planted tank in that you don't need to gravel vac as often or as much as with a non-planted tank. Skimming is ok, so long as you don't skim too much. __________________ _________________________________

08-13-2005, 02:48 PM	#4
tailbarlionfish Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: England, UK Posts: 80	I normally just use my gravel cleaner where theres no plants and kim around the areas where theres plants. Works for me __________________ 36"x18"x11" 25g 2swordtails,5guppies,1platy,2gourami's,5neons,3car dinals,3blackwidows,3roseytetras and 12 baby swordtails and 2 baby guppies at the moment. 30"x12"x15" 18g 2angelfish,3dwarf cichlids(1gold ram,1bolivian ram and 1ram),3corys,3clownloaches and 1zebra loach. A tank with 3 fighters;1 male, 2 females Please can you all at least take a look at my post in the unhealthy fish forum. Its called 'whats wrong with my tank'. I really wold like some replies because my fish are dying one by one and i dont want to lose all of them!

08-13-2005, 11:31 PM	#6
travis simonson Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Englewood, CO Posts: 2,027 Images: 32	Since I started keeping carpet plants about a year ago I haven't had to gravel vacuum at all. I also think my Malaysian Trumpet Snails help out quite a bit with keeping the floor clean. __________________ “There is something in the quality of a good translation that can never be captured in the original.” -William Gibson

08-13-2005, 10:39 PM	#5
Zezmo Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,112 Images: 14	Same here, I lightly vac the bottom and un-planted spots. I made a [acronym:caa9b7c663="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:caa9b7c663] python style vac. It has a one inch diameter vac, that lets me get in the narrow spaces between plants. Other than that I always keep some ghost shrimp in there as a clean up crew and snacks.

08-14-2005, 02:34 AM	#7
Psybuster Aquarium Advice Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Roseville, CA Posts: 65	ahh ok i was just wondering so i guess the fish waste is good for the plants. i think i got everything squared away. __________________ 29 Gal Planted Community Filstar XP2 \| [acronym:e7d83c25dc="Hang On Back"]HOB[/acronym:e7d83c25dc] Topfin 30 \| Pressurized [acronym:e7d83c25dc="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e7d83c25dc] Plants : Wisteria \| Amazon Sword \| Sag. Subulata \| Pennywort \| Cabomba Green Fish : Angels \| Corycats \| Rainbow Shark \| Harlequin Rasbora \| Red Tailed Shark -- Much Thanks to Travis for the donated plants

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
cleaning algea from tanks ....	jaowl	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	2	04-01-2006 06:56 PM
Cleaning used tanks	ILuv3ggs	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	9	02-03-2006 07:39 AM
Cleaning tanks with fry	lmw80	Freshwater & Brackish - Breeding	1	08-14-2005 04:04 PM
Cleaning out fish tanks	heavenly	Freshwater & Brackish - General Discussion	11	04-06-2004 06:59 PM
Cleaning planted tanks	Electrobes	Freshwater & Brackish - Planted Tanks	0	11-01-2003 01:38 AM