How do I change my water without disturbing my plants? I have watersprite and they have very weak and short roots and every time I try with the gravel vac the plants go free flowing. So what can I do about this?
Plants Problems
- Thread starter G_Knicks
- Start date
Don't gravel vac too close to the plants, the detritus that builds up around the plants will actually help grow them by becoming nutrients. In my heavily planted tank the vac doesn't touch the gravel.
Get some Malaysian trumpet snails to help keep your gravel clean. If you have some build up you want to get rid of, just hover the vac above the gravel to get the big chunks
Well My tank isnt heavily planted since it is mixed with both live and fake plants. But its more of the waste that's the problem since I am cautious to overfeeding.
Try to avoid coming close to the plants for a while to give their roots a chance to take hold. After a couple month, they should take hold well enough for you to get near them. Also, is it the vaccume that's the problem, or do you knock them loose when re-adding water? I take my water bucket, and place it higher than the tank, then use the vaccume hose to syphon the water back in so there is less turbulance from the water, and found that helps a lot with the plants. Used to be a routine for me to clean then tank, then replant all my java ferns. Now it's just the moss that refuses to stay where I want it...
I >HAD< Water Sprite in my tank for a time. It did pretty much the same thing yours is doing. Let me ask one question. After you are done refilling your tank, are there tons of air bubbles on everything?
I found that the millions of tiny air bubbles that settle on the glass and everything inside the tank seemed to be the cause of my WS coming unrooted. As WS tends to float, all those bubbles helping out seemed to pull it free from the substrate. I managed to greatly reduce the amount of air bubbles by reducing the flow in from the tap. Yes, it will take longer to fill the tank but you might not have to replant every time. I know the WS stayed put better for me anyways.
Eventually, I intend on filling buckets the night before and siphoning it into the tank which should practically eliminate the bubbles.
It's worth a shot.
I found that the millions of tiny air bubbles that settle on the glass and everything inside the tank seemed to be the cause of my WS coming unrooted. As WS tends to float, all those bubbles helping out seemed to pull it free from the substrate. I managed to greatly reduce the amount of air bubbles by reducing the flow in from the tap. Yes, it will take longer to fill the tank but you might not have to replant every time. I know the WS stayed put better for me anyways.
Eventually, I intend on filling buckets the night before and siphoning it into the tank which should practically eliminate the bubbles.
It's worth a shot.
Well hopefully I wont have that problem anymore since I bought some plant anchors that keep my plants together so the unrooting shouldnt be a problem. But just in case I'll try your suggestions.