How clean is clean substrate?

[harpreno]

Hi,

I have a 10 gallon tank with decomposed granite substrate, and plants. I was hoping that the plants would eat up the inevitable detrius that accomulates and seems to miss my gravel vac, but no. If I disturb the substrate, stuff swirls around in the water.

The water is clear, and the LFS tested it for more parameters than I can at home, and gave it an A+. But I'm still paranoid. The fish don't seem to mind.

Thanks for any thoughts...:?

 

[Exigenn]

gravel vacs are really your only option other then just changing the substrate to something that wont break down.

Drain 5/6 gallons of water, put all of your plants/decorations and everything in the bucket. Turn off anything electrical and pull it all out. Have new substrate on hand and already rinsed to replace it. I would empty the old stuff right into a trash bag. Put the new stuff in, either let settle for a little bit or put filter/heater right back in depending on how cloudy then return fish.

Being that its only a 10 gallon the whole process could easily be done in less than 20mins.

 

[ScotJudd]

Hi,



I have a 10 gallon tank with decomposed granite substrate, and plants. I was hoping that the plants would eat up the inevitable detrius that accomulates and seems to miss my gravel vac, but no. If I disturb the substrate, stuff swirls around in the water.



The water is clear, and the LFS tested it for more parameters than I can at home, and gave it an A+. But I'm still paranoid. The fish don't seem to mind.



Thanks for any thoughts...:?

'Dirty' gravel and plants go hand in hand. In my heavily planted tank I used to just gravel clean the exposed gravel to about half an inch, leaving the lower substrate to hold on to the nutrients needed by the plants. My major worry was the build up of gas pockets which when released would harm my fish. Then I stumbled upon Malaysian Trumpet Snails (MTS). They bury themselves in the substrate during the day and in doing so slowly turn over the substrate. Now the tank is really too heavily planted to gravel clean and I haven't done it for over a year. MTS eat decaying leaves as well any food the fish and shrimp miss however they don't eat live plants, unlike pond snails. They ARE love bearers and can get well out of control if you are a regular over feeder but their numbers stay in check when the tank is fed correctly.
Just food for thought.


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[Coursair]

I just swirl my gravel vac above my sand and loose detritus gets sucked up. I don't lose my sand.

I too use MTS , plus my Cories move stuff around.


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