Do you gravel vac every time you do a water change?

[SkiGal]

Simple question really. I vacuum the gravel every week when I do a water change and am wondering if this is not a good thing. Does it really kill beneficial bacteria?

Thanks

 

[Taysius]

I gravel vac every week. I have a lot of plants so there are certain spots I can't get to but I vac where I can. Never noticed any issues.

 

[tonergirl]

I gravel vac every week. I have a lot of plants so there are certain spots I can't get to but I vac where I can. Never noticed any issues.

Same here...

 

[Rbishop]

No, but all my gravel tanks are RUGF.....vac'ing doesn't kill the bacteria by the way.

 

[excuzzzeme]

Every week with water change.

 

[SkiGal]

Thanks guys!

Someone told me that I should not gravel vac every week when I do a water change because it kills the beneficial bacteria. I was pretty certain that it was not true but just thought I'd ask for some clarity on the issue.

 

[jbradt]

I don't, but it's only because my tanks are heavily planted.

 

[Chrisinator]

I don't unless I see too much build up in any area.

 

[CWO4GUNNER]

Every time I water-change every 3-6 weeks depending on nitrate levels (at 40 PPM I change) and I have fine sand so there is not much to pick up. But at the beginning of the water-change process when I first place the siphon inside I use the vac-attachment tube and suck up columns of sand about 2/3rds up the tube then release and the agitation really separates out any debris. It also gives me a chance to redistribute sand that my Cichlids have piled up unevenly outside their caves. The vac is a good thing and so are weekly-biweekly water changes if you do not have a nitrate filter like me.

 

[Weezer]

Yes, .................:idea: