Does gravel vacuuming kill good bacteria?

[Denbros]

I have been recently doing lots of gravel siphoning like 2 times a week. I only siphon the top layer of my gravel. I barely move any gravel. I just learned how good bacteria can grow on gravel/substrate. Some retailer told me gravel vacuuming can remove good bacteria?



Thanks!!!

 

[Caliban07]

I have been recently doing lots of gravel siphoning like 2 times a week. I olny siphon the top lair of my gravel. I barley move any gravel. I just learned how good bacteria can grow on gravel/substrate. Some retailer told me gravel vacuuming can remove good bacteria?



Thanks!!!

It's difficult to say with any degree of accuracy without proper laboratory testing. You'll probably find that most of the Bacteria inhabit the higher dissolved oxygen areas of the tank such in the filter. If your tank clouds up (milky) after a gravel clean you have most likely disturbed your bacteria.


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[trkchezz]

Some will get killed or removed with water changes, but the likelihood that your removing enough to disrupt your nitrogen cycle is unlikely. The bacteria in your tank has a life cycle, the younger bacteria is more efficient then the older ones. Unless your seeing a spike in ammonia or any other water parameters your doing something right.


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[lksdrinker]

I think the easiest answer is simply "no". I wouldn't ever worry about physically removing the beneficial bacteria. It can die, and sometimes things we do can cause it to die; but keep using your gravel vac and doing your normal maintenance. The majority of the beneficial bacteria is living in the bio media within your filter. Yes some will also be on the gravel and every other surface in the tank but that shouldn't stop you from doing your routine maintenance.

 

[PB_Smith]

LOL, that is silly advice.
you are not going to remove the BB except for what has already died off.
It is actually the dying off and growth of new bacteria that does the work we desire in out tanks. That is the entire principle behind fluidized media filters. As the media tumbles around the outer layers of mostly dead bacteria gets sloughed off and new bacteria grow in it's place.


you stand to have more problems by not doing it.

 

[lksdrinker]

LOL, that is silly advice.
you are not going to remove the BB except for what has already died off.
It is actually the dying off and growth of new bacteria that does the work we desire in out tanks. That is the entire principle behind fluidized media filters. As the media tumbles around the outer layers of mostly dead bacteria gets sloughed off and new bacteria grow in it's place.


you stand to have more problems by not doing it.

Only the strong survive!