Proper vacuum technique

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superjohnny

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Dec 18, 2002
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I've been reading that vacuuming your gravel during your weekly water-change is a bad thing. I take out roughly 25-30% of the water/week and my fish seem to be just fine. Can anyone tell me the proper way to vacuum my tank?

Thanks :)
 

beviking

Senior Member, Sophomoric Attitude
Feb 16, 2002
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When else would you vacuum your gravel? That's when I do it. Insert end of syphon tube into gravel, wait for cloudy stuff to get sucked out, then move onto next spot. That is if you don't have live plants!! With planted tanks, you just skim the surface of the gravel with the syphon, although some still go deep as long as they're not too close to the plant. Someone with live plants may be better to inform you though.:)
 

Cichlid Woman

Dwarf cichlids rule ...
Nov 27, 2002
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I have plants, and yes, I go all the way down in the clear unplanted gravel. I get lots of dirt up, too. When you vacuum, plunge your syphon straight down into the gravel, wait for the goop to come up, then pull it straight out. Move to the next spot and do it again, etc. It's a down-up motion, not swishing side-to-side, if you're doing deep gravel cleaning. (Is that what you meant by proper technique?)

-- Pat
 

pinballqueen

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Aug 4, 2002
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Gravel vacuuming is like a golf swing: there are as many different methods as there are people who do it, and nobody does it exactly right. Some people don't do it at all....

I don't think there is a true "right way" and "wrong way". There's just "your way" and "my way".

Do whatever works best for you and your tank, I say.... (And since I have sand and can't vacuum, I'm an objective opinion in this...)
 

superjohnny

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Dec 18, 2002
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What about a plant tank where the substrate is ~0.5mm in diameter? I am thinking of starting a plant tank in a 29 gallon and would kinda like to get a complete understanding of my 45 gallon before I take it to the next level.

Thanks and happy holiday's to everyone :)
 

Mr.Jingles

It's Aqua Live!
Aug 26, 2000
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.5 mm? you mean sand? Diana Walstead (sp?) has a great book called the Ecology of the planted aquarium that talks about some scientifical stuff thats kinda confusing untill you read it over again. But the information she has collected could definatly benifit you before you start planting. I would recamend the book to anyone.

btw, if you just have tiny gravel, its more likely that your gravel is more dense than larger gravel and it would be fine to syphon it. otherwise, skim the surface, cause there is no reason to dig into sand when there is nothing in the sand.
 
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