cleaning planted tanks

[demon_surfer]

I have in my 55 gallon several real plants, and I havnt really been sucking the gravel when i clean the tank..well not at all :cool: . I have been thinking...do you NEED to clean the gravel when you have plants? isnt the poop in the gravel what the plants need to eat.

If i should still vacum the gravel how can i do it without dislodging all my plants??

[OrionGirl]

Do you have a UGF? If so, then you need to clean the gravel to prevent it from clogging up. If not, then you should be okay just hoovering along the top, getting the loose solids up. Very little solid waste will get under the gravel without a UGF pulling it down. If you have thick layer of gravel, you'll want to avoid disturbing it, since not only will you disturb the roots, but you will also mess with the layers of anaerobic bacteria--not a good thing.

[demon_surfer]

ok thanks Ogirl, the roots were really what i was thinking about. and no i dont have an UGF. I guess next water change ill give it a lile going over.

[Slappy*McFish]

I never vacuum my plant tanks...all the mulm is good for the plants. I just do regular water changes and clean the filter when need be.

[demon_surfer]

that is what i have been doing thus far.

[pinballqueen]

I will sometimes skim over the surface with the vac, and in areas of the tank with no plants I give it a good deep-dive about once a month to clear out anything that won't be directly used by the plants right away. Otherwise I leave the gravel to its own devices.

[valerie]

I vacume my planted tanks except i don't push it down into the gravel.I just suck the stuff off the top of the gravel and where there are no plants i do a regualr type cleaning.