This question may sound stupid but Im a noobie. Whats the best way to clean the gravel with a large amount of live plants? I know people usually use a syphon but is there any other way and not need to uproot the plants everytime? How do you all clean the gravel?
cleaning gravel w/plants
- Thread starter ap4lyfe69
- Start date
with my planted tanks
I use a small syphon (1") to clean the floor but leave about 1" around the base of the plant un-gravel-vaced so they don't get uprooted - works fine for me! (For large volume water changes I follow the siphon with a python - gotta love the speed - and just don't touch the ground with it)
I use a small syphon (1") to clean the floor but leave about 1" around the base of the plant un-gravel-vaced so they don't get uprooted - works fine for me! (For large volume water changes I follow the siphon with a python - gotta love the speed - and just don't touch the ground with it)
I just use a regular gravel vac. I don't uproot any of the plants on a regular basis, I just bring the syphon as close to the substrate as I can and suck up as much debris as possible. The rest I leave to the snails and bacteria.
There is no reason for deep gravel vacuuming in fully planted tanks on any routine basis. I gravel vac only when dividing/resetting stand of plants (1-3 year intervals). Light surface vacuuming where you can approach the substrate - to pull up surface debris only - is all that is needed or desired routinely.
WharfRat
Don't Panic / Always Carry A Towel