Gravel vacuum

[senorkevin]

When I I'm doing a fish in cycle. Should I vacuum the gravel or leave it alone?

 

[Anemone afterlife]

You should vacuum the gravel.Lots of gross stuff will build up if left alone long enough.

 

[senorkevin]

Even during the cycle?

 

[Khuligirl93]

If you are doing your cycle with fish- yes you still need to. The fish will poop and you need to vacuum that out of the substrate.

 

[senorkevin]

How often should I vacuum?

 

[Khuligirl93]

Every time you do a water change.

 

[senorkevin]

At the moment I'm doing 2/3 times a day.

 

[Khuligirl93]

Wow that's a little extreme. Are your ammonia and nitrite levels raising to dangerous levels that fast that you have to do them so often?

 

[senorkevin]

I'm afraid so. For 3 days my ammonia was .6, nitrate was 110 for 2 days yesterday at 50 and just now 10 and nitrite was 1.6 but now .8

 

[Khuligirl93]

Wow that's crazy. What fish and size tank do you have?
I supposed you could just gravel vac once every few days then.

 

[senorkevin]

8/9 gallon with a apple snail, white pleco, 2 guppies, 2 angel fish, 2 mollies and a black moor goldfish

 

[senorkevin]

Is it possible to vacuum the gravel with out taking out a lot of water?
Or is that a stupid question!?

 

[Khuligirl93]

Oh wow that is extremely overstocked. No pleco has an adult size that is appropriate for an 8-9 gallon tank. Angelfish need a 20 gallon tank, and goldfish are cold water fish that should not be kept with tropical fish and they need a 30 gallon minimum.
Because you have so many fish in such a small tank, your water parameters are going to be very bad. And your fish will be stunted. If they live very long. You really need to rehome all of those fish except the guppies and the snail :/

 

[senorkevin]

I thought so. I started off with 4 guppies and then the wife bought a load home! I think I'm going to get a bigger tank in 2 or 3 weeks

 

[Khuligirl93]

If you get a bigger tank it should be at least 30-40 gallons if you plan to keep those fish. And the goldfish will need a separate tank that is 20-30.

Check out aquadvisor.com to check for future tank stocking. It is very smart about individual species' needs.

 

[senorkevin]

All the fish are 1 inch or under. Thank you so much for the advice