Help please

[Caliban07]

I swing between doing large gravel vacs and light gravel vacs (depending on plant stocking). I believe a deep gravel vac makes a difference but have noted no change in nitrates. That could be as the colours look the same for me so would be interested if anyone else has tested this.

I think nitrates can occur from dirty filters too. Especially canister filters. Not 100% sure how true this is it's just something I've heard.

 

[Delapool]

I think nitrates can occur from dirty filters too. Especially canister filters. Not 100% sure how true this is it's just something I've heard.

True, makes sense - still a closed system. That may be why gravels vacs don't make much difference for me, I should do my filters more often

 

[Caliban07]

True, makes sense - still a closed system. That may be why gravels vacs don't make much difference for me, I should do my filters more often

I tend to do mine once every 2-3 weeks

I've heard canister filters and under gravel filters being referred to as nitrate factories.

 

[Delapool]

Makes sense, I go more in months as I hate fooling around with them lol. But I'm having another try at a planted tank so just pulling one out now as I can't do as extensive gravel vacs, Plus no one is home if I flood the floor...

 

[Jmunroe]

My goodness. People still think the bb in the gravel is supporting the system on a tank with no under gravel filter??Vac your gravel EVERY time you do a water change. Your a fool not too. Vac it like your looking for gold. Don't do it in sections... one little section every week... vac it ALL. Get every piece of detritus you can out if the gravel. If your worrying about it that much, your under filtered or dont have enough bio media in your existing filter. If your filters are turning into nitrate factories your allowing to much debris and food to get in your filters. You can counter this by not over feeding and putting sponges over the intakes of your filters and cleaning these often. I have an FX5 on my 125 wild caught oscar and silver dollar tank, it only gets opened 2 times a year and even then I wonder why I bothered. And that's with a messy oscar. My nitrates are kept under 20 ppm. Oscars are sensitive to nitrates. Especially wild caught. Also AC 110 on the tank for added mechanical filtration. On my honduran red point tank I have 2 HOB aquaclears with sponges over the intakes. I only clean these every few months and the intake sponges more often. Keep crap outta the filter and it will work a lot better. There is no need to clean filters as often as most people do. Vac the gravel very well every time you do a water change. Do minimum 50% water change a week on your tanks, more if you have fish like large cichlids. My oscar tank needs 3 60-75% a week to keep it where I want it. Cichlids of all types can never have enough clean water for that matter. Monitor your water parameters to see if 50% a week is enough.

 

[Caliban07]

My goodness. People still think the bb in the gravel is supporting the system on a tank with no under gravel filter??Vac your gravel EVERY time you do a water change. Your a fool not too. Vac it like your looking for gold. Don't do it in sections... one little section every week... vac it ALL. Get every piece of detritus you can out if the gravel. If your worrying about it that much, your under filtered or dont have enough bio media in your existing filter. If your filters are turning into nitrate factories your allowing to much debris and food to get in your filters. You can counter this by not over feeding and putting sponges over the intakes of your filters and cleaning these often. I have an FX5 on my 125 wild caught oscar and silver dollar tank, it only gets opened 2 times a year and even then I wonder why I bothered. And that's with a messy oscar. My nitrates are kept under 20 ppm. Oscars are sensitive to nitrates. Especially wild caught. Also AC 110 on the tank for added mechanical filtration. On my honduran red point tank I have 2 HOB aquaclears with sponges over the intakes. I only clean these every few months and the intake sponges more often. Keep crap outta the filter and it will work a lot better. There is no need to clean filters as often as most people do. Vac the gravel very well every time you do a water change. Do minimum 50% water change a week on your tanks, more if you have fish like large cichlids. My oscar tank needs 3 60-75% a week to keep it where I want it. Cichlids of all types can never have enough clean water for that matter. Monitor your water parameters to see if 50% a week is enough.

Hmm must have missed that post where someone said bb gravel supports the system.

 

[Delapool]

Perhaps it was me, I think the term nitrate factory refers to a really dirty filter?

I just view nitrate as the end product which I remove by gravel vacs, water changes and filter cleans. So I consider the canister filters to be a nitrate factory and just doing their job. In planted tank available room to gravel vac
decreases.

 

[Caliban07]

I just take everything out to gravel vac. I then rearrange the tank. I think it's better for the fish to change things round now and then.

I know one of the forums resident plant experts once told me she never vacs the gravel. I'm assuming these are very heavily planted tanks.

 

[Jmunroe]

Yes extremely dirty filters, gravel and decor with hiding spots for that matter are what can have the potential to produce excess nitrates through the normal nitrification process by holding the waste allowing it to create ammonia. Planted tanks are indeed harder to vac but at the same time you have plants that will help deal with the excess nitrates.

 

[Delapool]

I just take everything out to gravel vac. I then rearrange the tank. I think it's better for the fish to change things round now and then.

I know one of the forums resident plant experts once told me she never vacs the gravel. I'm assuming these are very heavily planted tanks.

Yes, I think I know the tank.

Stupid canister filter won't restart - sigh.

 

[Caliban07]

Yes, I think I know the tank.

Stupid canister filter won't restart - sigh.

Doh. What make is it?

 

[Jmunroe]

Switch to sand and no waste will get into the substrate. It sits on top and you only have to hover the vac over it to pick it up.

 

[Caliban07]

Switch to sand and no waste will get into the substrate. It sits on top and you only have to hover the vac over it to pick it up.

I've got a cichlid tank with sand. And a community with gravel. It is much easier to clean the sand.

 

[Delapool]

Doh. What make is it?

Aqua one - finally going again, had air stuck around the impeller I think. It's always a root around in the cupboard filling up the little hole in the top with water. And this time I think I broke something off the hole cover. But it doesn't leak, sounds the same and seems to be just purging a bit more air remaining so fingers crossed. That was the easy small one....

 

[Stardaddy]

Thanks to every one that helped me out with my tank it's back healthy and fish has stopped diying now and now looking happy again so thanks to every one meny thanks stardaddy