stir gravel and skimmer poop?

[aquaruim]

Hello I know alot of the healthy bacteria grows and lives in and on the gravel and vacuuming it isn't a really good idea. What do all of you think if I were to stir the gravel up so the poop and possible left over food and whatever else is settled there gets stirred up into the water column and I get a fine mesh net to skimmer it out? Is there anything wrong about cleaning the substrate/gravel in that manner? Thanks

 

[King Fisher]

Seems like more work than needed. Maybe even not proficient?? You can do a light gravel vac of the surface of the gravel once a week. Get down about a half inch or so into the gravel. Vac the entire substrate. Don't go all the way to the bottom. Twice a year you can do a deep gravel vac. Do 1/3 of the tank one week then 1/3 of the tank the next week and so on until it's cleaned entirely.

 

[m.j.gomez]

Hello I know alot of the healthy bacteria grows and lives in and on the gravel and vacuuming it isn't a really good idea. What do all of you think if I were to stir the gravel up so the poop and possible left over food and whatever else is settled there gets stirred up into the water column and I get a fine mesh net to skimmer it out? Is there anything wrong about cleaning the substrate/gravel in that manner? Thanks

Hello, there is some bb in gravel but the lions share is in your filter media(pad & bio sponge or grid). If worried of over cleaning do half one wk then the other half the next. If you don't clean gravel your yank may start to smell + it looks better. Hope this helps you!!!!!