Gravel vac question

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

ccross

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Aug 14, 2011
Messages
792
Location
NY
When I vacuum my gravel I generally just go around my deco and never move anything. I only use the vac about once a week as well. Should I be doing this more often and should I be removing the deco stuff to get a better clean up of the substrate? Just asking out of curiosity since I'm still rather new to the hobby :)
 
I would move what you can. Maybe not all at once if it gets the fish all riled up, but maybe clean under one piece one week, another the next, etc. Don't uproot any live plants or anything but if they are fake plants include those in the rotation also. JMO.
 
I would move what you can. Maybe not all at once if it gets the fish all riled up, but maybe clean under one piece one week, another the next, etc. Don't uproot any live plants or anything but if they are fake plants include those in the rotation also. JMO.

Thanks for the info. I have a TON of fake plants in my tanks. ITs gonna be a fun time moving them all, lol.
 
if you are going to vac under fake plants or are thinking of pulling them up to vac under make sure to vac all around the plant before you pull it up so you don't release alot of dirt into your water column. otherwise your water is going to cloud up.
 
jpchin said:
if you are going to vac under fake plants or are thinking of pulling them up to vac under make sure to vac all around the plant before you pull it up so you don't release alot of dirt into your water column. otherwise your water is going to cloud up.

No dirt in my tank, just gravel.
 
You'd be surprised how much, well, crap builds up under the decor. Move the stuff out of the way slowly or you'll just stir up everything into the water and make a bigger mess.
 
i didn't mean real dirt like planting medium. i meant dirt like excess fish food, fish poop and such. it's easier to clean all around your faux plants and then pull them to clean under them. much less mess.
 
Back
Top Bottom