Question about Vacuuming Gravel!

[kaz]

Ok so the deal is every saturday I take out all the plants and half the decoration out of the tank and vacuum the gravel when the water goes down about 20 to 40% I stop and put new fresh water. is this the way it should be done? how do you guys do with planted tanks and big decoration to have to remove everytime you vacuum and change the water. is there a way that I can do the water change once a week and once a month do the vacuum with removal of all the obj? whats the deal? should I ever empty completly the tank to wash it down?

 

[jonnyb1425]

It is suggested to do them every other week at 10-20%. Don't bother taking out all of the plants and decorations. You can go around the plants (be careful with the root systems), and the objects can be temporarily moved around the tank.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I wouldn't remove everything. I just gravel vac around all the decor and about once a month I move the stuff around in the tank and get under where stuff used to sit. Do not ever completly wash down the tank. It will just destroy beneficial bacteria. Gravel vacing weekly will do the trick for you. I only remove decor from the tank while cleaning if thepiece of decor is covered in algae.

 

[QTOFFER]

It's not necessary to remove decor everytime you gravel vac. Yopu certainly don't ever want to empty the tank for cleaning, or remove everything at once - that might disrupt your bacterial colonies.

Every time I gravel vac, I move the smaller rocks to one side and vac under them.
About once every one or two months, I pull out one of the larger stones and scrub the algae off it under hot water. Sometimes, I'll move a piece of driftwood to the side and vac under it too.

 

[kaz]

My tank is pretty crouded to where only a few spots will allow me to stick the python to suck from the gravel. I keep having problems every two weeks or so from nitrates will get high.

 

[Mazdaman]

i don't think it is your decor causing the spikes. by the looks of it kaz you are pretty over stocked for a 20gal....

 

[kaz]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=8514&cat=543&page=1

how do u vaccum around this for example?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I keep having problems every two weeks or so from nitrates will get high.

PWC's should be done weekly. You can lightly use the gravel vac around the plants, and the gravel in the open spots, but that's about all you can do. Maybe someone else has a better recommendation for the vacuuming.

Other than that, great looking tank.....

 

[Zagz]

If your tank is looking like the pic, deep gravel vacs are not recommended. You wave the wand of the vac around and stir up the stuff and vac it out. Otherwise just do as recommended in previous posts. As for the nitrate problems, how much are you feeding? I had a huge nitrate problem in my 29 gal and it resulted from overfeeding. I cut way back on my feedings and my readings stay within normal ranges now.

 

[LAGlocker]

man if that is your tank, I wouldnt ever remove the plants. with that many plants i dont understand how your nitrates are staying high, unless you are massively overfeeding, or adding too much nitrate with fertz. i know with my tank, after i tested it last night, i actually had to add nitrates, the plants are sucking them up like you wouldnt believe.