Disadvantages of gravel vac?
- Thread starter hendrixpujols11
- Start date
echoofformless
Peat Advocate & Defender Of Snails
Never. You can vac all you like. Though if you have a heavily planted tank it can be somewhat difficult...and you might want to let some of the mulm stick around so the plants can utilize it as fertilizer.
Otherwise you can vac until your heart's content.
Otherwise you can vac until your heart's content.
to vaccuum the gravel, obviously a portion of my arm has to be underwater. How much should I was my hand before hand? Does vaccuuming stress the fish?
doing a vac. is way less stressful than having bad water, and I would definately wash your hands/arms first, especially if you have any lotions on, etc. Just rinse REALLY WELL! I've heard people say not to use an antibacterial wash but I do, and never had a problem. Again you just have to rinse really really well.
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my fish never seemed to be stressed when doing gravel vacs. you can use a stick if you dont want to put your hand into the tank if thats what your asking.
If that was what I was asking, I would have asked it that way. I am wondering whether sticking a tube in their tank and vaccuuming out the water could frighten them.
I'm sure they don't enjoy it, but its a necessary evil and short lived so no big deal!! And actually, I have to be extremely careful when I vac. my 180... even with all that room, the neons think they can get to the stuff coming up the tube so they hover around and the balas and corys are all over during and shortly after a vac. looking for anything I might have stirred up!
As long as you don't purposely chase them around tank, and use slow deliberate movements, it shouldn't put any undue stress on them at all... my fish actually watch the process and "investigate" the areas I've just cleaned! Good luck with your next session.