Gravel Cleaning Question

[LookingToLearn]

I have a 55 gallon tank that is very thick with both real and fake plants in it. I have a mix of Eco-Complete Substrate and regular gravel in the tank.

When I do my water changes I am only able to run the vaccuum over the front, open area. I can't really get to the back area with the gravel siphon without seriously disturbing the plants (most of my real plants are at the back of the tank) and decorations...

Is this a problem? I have read something about the water under the gravel going rancid if not moved around once in a while.. Am I cleaning my tank wrong if I am not vaccuuming the back half of my tank?

Thanx so much for your help. I really apprecaite it! I have 2 goldfish and 2 snails.

 

[ALEXF]

bump. im curious about this now as well as my tank is also heavily planted. hopefully someone will reply.

 

[Colin_T]

If you have something in the gravel for the plants then don't gravel clean too deeply otherwise you will suck up the nutrient rich substrate. Just run the gravel cleaner across the top as you have been doing. If you have any areas that don't have plants or eco complete then you can push the gravel cleaner right down into the gravel to suck out the gunk.

If the plants are healthy and their roots have grown into the gravel then they will keep it healthy. You can also use Malaysian Livebearing (Trumpet) snails to turn the gravel over. Problems arise when you get lots of decomposing organic matter in the gravel and there is nothing to loosen up the gravel and allow oxygen in it. Then it becomes anaerobic (lacking oxygen) and turns black and smelly, (like rotten eggs). This then becomes toxic to fish and other aquatic creatures if the anaerobic gases get released into the water.

If you use a gravel cleaner to suck up the anaerobic areas then the gases get drawn up and out of the tank with some water and as such they don't cause any problems to the inhabitants.

 

[ALEXF]

ok collin well hypothetically..... if you have a heavily planted tank, and they are fake plants... would it be a good idea to like once every 6 months to pull everything out give the gravel a good cleaning to prevent this black stuff from comming?

 

[Colin_T]

If the tank has fake/ artificial plants in, then you can gravel clean it every time you do a water change. Just lift the plants out, gravel clean under them, then put them back in.
If you don't do regular gravel cleans in the tank with artificial plants then you will probably find the gravel gets messy pretty quickly. Especially if you have algae eating/ suckermouth catfish like bristlenose or plecos.

 

[ALEXF]

NoOooOoOoOo.... i need to invest in some real plants then. Because if i thought putting them in with no fish in there was a pain, once i add fish im gonna constantly be scared of smushing one. No good.

 

[Colin_T]

very few fish will hang around the end of a gravel cleaner. Tiger barbs, female bettas and some catfish do but most other fish will take off as soon as the gravel cleaner goes in the tank. It is pretty easy to see where the fish are as well, so unless you are really careless, you should suck any up.

 

[ALEXF]

i mean when im putting the plants back in. pushing them down into the gravel with lil ones swimming around kind of scares me.

 

[Colin_T]

fair enough.
again most fish will back away when you stick your hand in the tank to plant the plants. I usually just wave my hand a couple of times to shoe away any dirt and fish and then push the plant back in the gravel. Small bristlenose can be annoying if you have a tank full of them but most other fish nick off pretty quickly when you suddenly wave your hand at them

 

[LookingToLearn]

If you have something in the gravel for the plants then don't gravel clean too deeply otherwise you will suck up the nutrient rich substrate. Just run the gravel cleaner across the top as you have been doing. If you have any areas that don't have plants or eco complete then you can push the gravel cleaner right down into the gravel to suck out the gunk.

If the plants are healthy and their roots have grown into the gravel then they will keep it healthy. You can also use Malaysian Livebearing (Trumpet) snails to turn the gravel over. Problems arise when you get lots of decomposing organic matter in the gravel and there is nothing to loosen up the gravel and allow oxygen in it. Then it becomes anaerobic (lacking oxygen) and turns black and smelly, (like rotten eggs). This then becomes toxic to fish and other aquatic creatures if the anaerobic gases get released into the water.

If you use a gravel cleaner to suck up the anaerobic areas then the gases get drawn up and out of the tank with some water and as such they don't cause any problems to the inhabitants.

Thanx so much for your help Colin.. I think I am going to get a new vaccuum that is smaller so it will make it easier for me to get inbetween some of my plants. And I have been searching for some Trumpet Snails..

If you get a chance, could you check this link out: http/cgi.ebay.com/10-Algae-eating-Malays...Q2em118Q2el1247

Does this look good to you? I can't find Trumpet Snails anywhere around my home so I thougth I would try Ebay.

Thanx again very much!

 

[Colin_T]

Ouch to the shipping costs. It will cost you more for freight than for the actual snails.
Have a look around at different fish shops and maybe contact your local aquarium society. Also put a wanted add on this forum and see if there is anyone local to you that has some. They are extremely hardy snails and are quite common. You should be able to find some locally and not have to pay the earth for them.
My LFS gives them to customers if they ask.

With the new gravel cleaner don't get one that is less than about 2inchses in diameter. The really slim ones don't work very effectively and often suck up gravel with the gunk.

 

[LookingToLearn]

Ouch to the shipping costs. It will cost you more for freight than for the actual snails.
Have a look around at different fish shops and maybe contact your local aquarium society. Also put a wanted add on this forum and see if there is anyone local to you that has some. They are extremely hardy snails and are quite common. You should be able to find some locally and not have to pay the earth for them.
My LFS gives them to customers if they ask.

With the new gravel cleaner don't get one that is less than about 2inchses in diameter. The really slim ones don't work very effectively and often suck up gravel with the gunk.

I just found another fish store in my area. Will call and ask them when they open.. BTW, how many snails should I get? Do you think 5 would be enough? Also, do you think they will be OK with my 68 degree temp or do you think I should up the temp in the tank a lil for them?

Thanx again.

 

[Colin_T]

5 will be heaps. They breed readily and will quickly build up in numbers. The temperature is fine as well

 

[vinylman]

very few fish will hang around the end of a gravel cleaner

And if they do, they'll only do it once.............

 

[SJ2K]

Ive had a few smaller fish get pulled up into it, np, there all much stronger swimmers then the cleaner could overwhelm. Mine usually wriggle around a bit then shoot back out the bottom, theres always the small valve at the top which would also stop anything going up