Cleaning Gravel with Plants

[new fish lover]

I am doing a water change. How often should I clean the gravel since I have some new plants. I normally clean the gravel once a month and water change water 2x's a month. I am not sure if I should syphone the gravel as I do not want to take out the nutrients from the plants.

 

[cutechic]

Clean the gravel just as often as before. I take it you're using a gravel siphon? If so, hover the siphon 0.5"-1.0" above the gravel. The waste will get sucked up, but you won't disturb the plants' roots.

 

[guppygirl]

I agree. If there is alot of stuff on the surface of the substrate, the siphon should pick it up from that distance without uprooting or disturbing your plants.

 

[Yenko]

I think that siphoning should be kept to a minimum in a planted tank with gravel; fish waste and plant mulm will sink into the gravel and make an excellent substrate. As long as you have good plant growth everywhere in the tank, there should not be any problems with anoxic bacteria forming H2S.