How do you vacuum?

[DaveFish]

Just curious about techniques and ways to do it. I use a python.
When I'm water changing I try to vacuum all the visible detritus and not going too far into the substrate. Anyone do a deep travel clean?

 

[Laeris]

I leave it to the trumpet snail in my tank. I figure if I don't see it, or more than one, it's clean enough.

 

[DaveFish]

My tetras killed my last snail

 

[Laeris]

What! How mean! What kind was it?

 

[DaveFish]

Zebra snail. My bleeding hearts were bothering it one day, next morning it was dead with a chunk missing. Water parameters were fine(this happened a few years ago in my old 10g)

 

[Laeris]

? I'm sorry about your poor snail. http://www.planetinverts.com/malaysian_trumpet_snail.html They're handy and not likely to be found by your tetra. I've had one in my 5g for a couple of weeks and I've seen it twice. I like options, and this may or may not be a good one for you

 

[Masha]

I'm glad you asked this because I'm wondering whether my own technique might be stressing my fish.

I have a planted tank (low light) with driftwood and some stones, and a mixture of sand and gravel. I vacuum every bit of gravel I can as thoroughly as I can once a week as part of the water change. This means that I do about two thirds of the gravel as I don't want to disturb the plants and I can't reach under the driftwood.

I wonder if this stresses the fish too much - quite a lot of activity.

 

[Mebbid]

I honestly dont vaccuum anything. Just siphon water out and replace with clean. I have a ton of water flow in my tanks that keeps detritus off the bottom. About once a week i will replace the filter floss on my aquaclear.