Cleaning a Planted Tank?

[dwool36]

I am setting up a 29fw planted tank. How do you clean a planted tank? I assume you still need to vacuum the substrate? How do you do this without upsetting the plants? Is it more trouble than it is worth?

[craftyflalady]

Planted tanks are abit more work, but well worth the effort.

You still do water changes and gravel vac's, you just don't shove the gravel vac really deep into the substate, or around he roots of plants. You just have to becareful where to go. But everything else is about the same as you would do in a non planted tank. Except, you should prune the plants some when you do your water changes too.

What kind of substrate are you going to use? I love florite, but it is a royal pain to wash. I have grown plants with great success with regular gravel, Florite, and sand. Your lighting is very important to your sucess.

Hope that helps you some.

Kathy

[dwool36]

At the suggestion of Simpte, I believe I am going to use Turface.

[craftyflalady]

I have never used it myself, but have heard very good things about it! I would like to try it once if I could find it!!

Good Luck with your tank, pics would be welcome after it's done!

[Damon]

You will rinse it just like flourite. Its not as "dirty" but still will make a mess as will any substrate that is clay based.

[dwool36]

When you say mess, are you talking about temporary cloudiness?

[Damon]

Yes and a film on top of the water.

[dwool36]

OK, after going to about 10 stores I could only find Florite. I see what craftyflalady was talking about rinsing. So that leads to a perhaps stupid question: When it comes time to vac, will the sediment that will inevitably be stirred up be harmful to the fish?

[micstarz]

hmm... yes in a way...

[craftyflalady]

To be honest, I don't find the sediment that much of an issue once the tank is established. I don't do 'deep' substate cleaning in my planted tanks. I only kinda just pull whats off the top. The plants use anything that gets down into the gravel.

Now, If I go in there, and move plants around and re-plant or anything like that, yes I stir up a cloud, but I only do these things while doing a water change so alot of it is sucked out. Then once it settles I will sometimes go in and again clean off the top, so to speak. Also, I leave my dirty filter carts. in there until after the water clears again, then clean them or add new ones.

But, I rarely find I have to do that. I have had a 55 planted tank up for almost 2 years, and only done any major re-planting twice. I also have a 45 gal planted tank up for the same 2 years, and have never had to touch it other than pruning.

this is the 45 http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...y/100_0343.jpg

this is the 55 http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...y/100_0346.jpg

Hope that the washing of Florite doesn't keep you from using it. It really is great stuff, and make great planted tanks.

Kathy

[micstarz]

omg that 55gal livestock combination is totally gone wild! theres a puffer if im not mistaken, in with a discus!

totally cool.