Help needed

[buballo]

Hi All,
This is probably a sill y question but I shall ask it anyway. I went to the LFS here in sydney and they had some beautiful short grass which I was interested in planting through my tank. Also adding larger plants at the back. Looking at the photos in some of the forums on planted tanks, how is the gravel substrate cleaned when you have a predominantly planted tank.

Will this not ruin the root system of the plant? Do you not need to clean the gravel when you have a planted tank?

thanks

 

[Jchillin]

Gravel vacuuming is not much of an issue in a heavily planted tank. Most don't vac at all and those who do simply skim the surface of the substrate as not to disturb the roots. The build up of detrius enriches the nutrient base of the substrate, which is beneficial to the plants.