Gravel Vac without water change?

[Bwanny]

Hey guys! I had a quick question in regards to gravel vacuuming freshwater tanks. I picked up a Fluval FX6 recently and found that there is actually a fluval made kit that can allow you to gravel vac your tank by just using the filter instead of using the buckets method or python method.
MY QUESTION IS: what would be the true purpose of gravel vacuuming the tank without actually doing a water change? Are there really any benefits of doing so? Is it something I should look into to do maintenance on my tank and do you think itd be worth it?
I can only assume it would just extend the lifetime of the water that's already in the tank considering you're not really adding any new freshwater to the tank during this process but it just doesnt seem worth the time when the Python is simple enough to do water changes. Thanks so much for you answers in advance!

 

[ZxC]

Only thing I can see would be the convenience of cleaning the substrate at the expense of polluting your water, so in reality there is 0 benefit.

 

[Bwanny]

Only thing I can see would be the convenience of cleaning the substrate at the expense of polluting your water, so in reality there is 0 benefit.

Well it only takes about an hour to for the FX6 to clear up the water again after gravel vacuuming and disturbing the substrate. But while changing the water I typically do the substrate anyway quickly. Anyone else have ideas as to how this is effective or useful?

 

[jeffruth]

I can't think of an advantage to using the filter? Wouldn't it just clog your media up?

https://www.amazon.ca/Eheim-Automatic-Gravel-Cleaner-Extractor/dp/B003C5U2SU

I had this for a few years. It just did the gravel. When I first started out I would do this in between my water changes. Now that I have learnt the art of water circulation, to be honest I don't even remember the last time I did a gravel vac....

Between bottom feeders and circulation there is never anything on my substrate.

 

[ZxC]

It would certainly plug up a filter very very fast, not to mention drastically increase the speed at which organics decompose therefore polluting the water faster.

 

[BBradbury]

Bw...

There are "Terraphyte" tanks that don't require water changes. However, this type of tank has specific steps for set up and I wouldn't try it with a standard freshwater tank. If you simply remove most of the tank water weekly, you'll remove the dissolved waste material. No vacuuming is needed. The water change also replaces minerals lost to filtration and use by the fish and plants. In a standard freshwater tank, you must remove and replace the water frequently to maintain a livable environment for the fish.

B

 

[Bwanny]

I can't think of an advantage to using the filter? Wouldn't it just clog your media up?

https://www.amazon.ca/Eheim-Automatic-Gravel-Cleaner-Extractor/dp/B003C5U2SU

I had this for a few years. It just did the gravel. When I first started out I would do this in between my water changes. Now that I have learnt the art of water circulation, to be honest I don't even remember the last time I did a gravel vac....

Between bottom feeders and circulation there is never anything on my substrate.

That's what I need![emoji29] I need to get the art of circulation down in my tank. I've been trying to master it but power heads are so expensive for nice ones that push water hard. I currently have one hydor koralia in the tank and just the FX6 heads pointing up to break surface tension to oxygenate the water without needing a bubbler. I have 2 Oscar's and a gold severum so I can't exactly keep a small bottom feeder In my tank unfortunately

 

[Bwanny]

It would certainly plug up a filter very very fast, not to mention drastically increase the speed at which organics decompose therefore polluting the water faster.

Very good point. Interesting thought. Thank you so much

 

[Bwanny]

I can't think of an advantage to using the filter? Wouldn't it just clog your media up?

https://www.amazon.ca/Eheim-Automatic-Gravel-Cleaner-Extractor/dp/B003C5U2SU

I had this for a few years. It just did the gravel. When I first started out I would do this in between my water changes. Now that I have learnt the art of water circulation, to be honest I don't even remember the last time I did a gravel vac....

Between bottom feeders and circulation there is never anything on my substrate.

I have also seen those before as well jeffruth. I always thought those were junk though? Tell me more about that product and you're experience with it if you could please?

 

[Bwanny]

Bw...

There are "Terraphyte" tanks that don't require water changes. However, this type of tank has specific steps for set up and I wouldn't try it with a standard freshwater tank. If you simply remove most of the tank water weekly, you'll remove the dissolved waste material. No vacuuming is needed. The water change also replaces minerals lost to filtration and use by the fish and plants. In a standard freshwater tank, you must remove and replace the water frequently to maintain a livable environment for the fish.

B

So you're saying for my freshwater tank I dont even need to gravel vac? What about all of the waste that settles into it and begins to create toxic waste?

 

[Fresh2o]

So you're saying for my freshwater tank I dont even need to gravel vac? What about all of the waste that settles into it and begins to create toxic waste?

You may get mixed opinions on this.
Generous and regular water changes will reduce the amount of dissolved waste originating from the substrate (as stated above).
On the flip side, vacuuming and removing the solid waste in the substrate means there is less waste that can dissolve into the water column.
It may depend on how much water you are changing and the bioload. With heavy waste producers such as large cichlids and goldfish, vacuuming the waste is probably a good thing. With a lower bioload and/or planted tank, the need for vacuuming may be reduced or not necessary at all.

 

[Autumnsky]

You still need to clean out the FX-6 on some type of schedule. On my FX-5 there is a out going valve for water to flush the filter ridding it of a decent amount of build up from the flushing action. But you still need to rinse out the build up periodically.

 

[BBradbury]

Bw...

Everything in the tank water is constantly dissolving. Waste material, like everything else takes time to dissolve and simply by removing most of the water weekly, you remove whatever has dissolved in it. If you remove most of the water weekly, you remove the bulk of the pollutants and the small amount that's left in the tank is diluted to a safe level in all the new, treated tap water.

This is why small water changes don't work. Most of the pollutants are left in the water. The fish and plants add to that and the toxins build up in the water and create water chemistry problems that kill fish.

There's no mystery to keeping fish. Just remove and replace most of the tank water every week and you'll have no tank problems.

B

 

[Bwanny]

You may get mixed opinions on this.
Generous and regular water changes will reduce the amount of dissolved waste originating from the substrate (as stated above).
On the flip side, vacuuming and removing the solid waste in the substrate means there is less waste that can dissolve into the water column.
It may depend on how much water you are changing and the bioload. With heavy waste producers such as large cichlids and goldfish, vacuuming the waste is probably a good thing. With a lower bioload and/or planted tank, the need for vacuuming may be reduced or not necessary at all.

Ahhh gotcha. I have large Oscar's so that makes sense for me to vacuum them. Thank you for clearing that up