Help with gravel vacs

[An t-iasg]

Hi everyone,
As my cryptocoryne walkeri grows, I'm realizing that I have to change the way I gravel-vac. The roots are reaching across the tank. I'm using the vac on the other side of the tank, and I'm sucking up the crypt roots! I spent almost 15 minutes trying to get it planted again. I'm so glad it didn't melt, but I almost expected it to. I still see some roots that I didn't get buried all the way, and my betta is biting at them. What's the best way to keep the roots buried, and how should I vac around it? My substrate is Estes coated white gravel. I think it's coated. I just realized by looking at pics of the tank when it was newer that the gravel is not as bright white as it used to be. Since the roots are also white, sometimes it's not easy to see if I have them buried.

 

[Menagerie]

I was given a plant from someone and was told to make sure the roots are buried. Well, that hasn't worked and I was then told to cut the roots that were too big. Maybe this will help.

 

[An t-iasg]

Hi Menagerie!
I'm amazed at how big/long the roots are on this plant! It's doubled in size since I got it about 4 months ago.

(look at that post count! you surpassed 6000 posts today!)