Substrate cleaning in the planted tank?

CaysE · 08-01-2006, 01:09 PM

I'm used to siphoning the gravel every week or two with a non-planted aquarium, but how is this handled in a planted tank? Do you have to move the plants around or just siphon whatever gravel is showing and leave everything else alone? If you carpet the entire floor, do you have to siphon at all?

Schism · 08-01-2006, 02:27 PM

what i do with my planted tanks is make a current in there and siphon the stirred water most of the nasties will be in the water column itself or just siphon where the plants arent.

**JustOneMore20** · 08-01-2006, 03:06 PM

I agree with schism. Thats what I do is vac the places where there aren't any plants and just swirl the vac around where its heavily planted so that it picks up dead leaves and old food. The plants will use the mulm in the gravel as nutrients so you don't have to worry about doing deep gravel vacs in the planted areas. I vac once a week with my 50% water changes.

08-01-2006, 01:09 PM	#1
CaysE Stowaway Winner Join Date: May 2006 Location: Bloomfield, NJ Age: 29 Posts: 316	Substrate cleaning in the planted tank? I'm used to siphoning the gravel every week or two with a non-planted aquarium, but how is this handled in a planted tank? Do you have to move the plants around or just siphon whatever gravel is showing and leave everything else alone? If you carpet the entire floor, do you have to siphon at all? __________________ 20gal tall! The display tank. Flourite substrate, Nutrafin CO2 system, Aquaclear 50, 55W 6.5k bulb @ 10hrs, 65W 10k bulb @ 2hrs, 100W Visi-Therm 4 furcata rainbows (and 8 fry!), 1 albino longfin bristlenose pleco, 6 crystal red shrimp, ramshorn & physa snails 5gal hex! Mini planted tank Eclipse Hex5 with Eco-Complete substrate, 25W heater, 1 male crowntail betta, some ramshorn and physa snails.

08-01-2006, 03:06 PM	#3
JustOneMore20 Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Birmingham, AL Age: 22 Posts: 3,578	I agree with schism. Thats what I do is vac the places where there aren't any plants and just swirl the vac around where its heavily planted so that it picks up dead leaves and old food. The plants will use the mulm in the gravel as nutrients so you don't have to worry about doing deep gravel vacs in the planted areas. I vac once a week with my 50% water changes. __________________ *Kristin* 5 Planted tanks: 55g, 40g, 29g, 20g, 5.5g

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08-01-2006, 02:27 PM	#2
Schism Y cant we sleep 4 ever Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rose city Age: 25 Posts: 55	what i do with my planted tanks is make a current in there and siphon the stirred water most of the nasties will be in the water column itself or just siphon where the plants arent.

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