Gravel Cleaning

[kakihara]

Hi

I was just wondering about gravel cleaning. My tank is 6 weeks old now and has it's share of algae growing on the glass and gravel and plants.

I can clean the glass handily enough, but I haven't got a gravel vaccum and I was wondering how important it is to clean the algae off of it?

The reason I am asking this is that when I do a water change the tank actually looks dirtier AFTER the water has been changed, there's bits of stuff floating around the tank and then about an hour or so later it's clear again ... well as clear as it can be in mean ... and I assume that the filter has taken care of it.

Also how clear should the water be, crystal,? or does everyones tank have tiny little bits of stuff floating around it?

Cheers K

 

[@ombomb]

The reason I am asking this is that when I do a water change the tank actually looks dirtier AFTER the water has been changed, there's bits of stuff floating around the tank

The whole point of the gravel vac is to remove those bits that linger in the gravel. The bits you are seeing are either fish waste or dead plant matter. Either way these break down releasing Amonia -> Nitirite -> Nitrate = poor water quality, unhealthy fish and more algae. Gravel vacs are pretty cheap and they are a huge help keeping the tank clean.

 

[dwarfgourami]

The most important thing a gravel vac does is not clean off algae but clear the bits of waste (poo, uneaten food, decaying plant matter) off the bottom where they might otherwise cause an ammonia spike. I have one of those that syphon off the water at the same time, so it's part of my weekly water change, works well.

But yes, the tank does look messier just after I've been there. Still, crystal clear is not the essential bit, the dangerous part of a dirty tank is not the bits you can see but the ammonia and nitrites you can't see.

 

[kakihara]

Thanks,

I think I'll get myself a gravel Vac after work, along with some stress coat as I've heard that thats good for fish.

I just did a water change of about 20% last night, so would it be ok for me to do the gravel vac tomorrow? as the one's that I know of syphon out water too.

Would corys and snails help with the clean up too?

 

[Bloo]

along with some stress coat as I've heard that thats good for fish.

"Stress Coat not only replaces the natural protective slime coating fish need in times of stress, but also removes chlorine, neutralizes chloramines and detoxifies heavy metals".

So have you been using any dechlorinator at all during these past few weeks ?

Cories and snails will help a bit with leftover bits of food etc., but remember they don't eat dirt and fish poo. They also require proper food and also produce waste.

 

[!Gina]

I've recently bought a gravel vac, and its very difficult too use and very messy.
While were on topic, what gravel vac would you say is best to use, or What gravel vac do you use?
Hope you dont mind me asking, but it might help!

 

[Bloo]

I've recently bought a gravel vac, and its very difficult too use and very messy.
While were on topic, what gravel vac would you say is best to use, or What gravel vac do you use?
Hope you dont mind me asking, but it might help!

This is what I used. Very easy and not messy.

Though I really should switch over to a proper Python wich will make things 10 times easier and eliminate the buckets.

 

[ncjharris]

Or here!

Shameless Plug!

 

[Bloo]

Or here!

Shameless Plug!

I actually think you did a fantastic job on that DIY python description and have used it a number of times to direct people to
But for someone that doesn't know what a phython is (in the first place) I thought it was a good idea to show the whole contraption - because your post doesn't show it the visually unfortunately.

 

[kakihara]

So have you been using any dechlorinator at all during these past few weeks ?

Cories and snails will help a bit with leftover bits of food etc., but remember they don't eat dirt and fish poo. They also require proper food and also produce waste.

No I haven't used stress coat atal, All's I've used is Aquasafe and PH Balance.

The gravel vac does look kind of messy all right, lloks like a 2 person job to me, one to hold the bucket and the other to does the hoovering.

I thought that there was fish that eat other fishes crap but I guess that's just a fantasy!!

 

[Bloo]

Oh that's fine then - Aquasafe is a dechlorinator. You should only one or the other though (Aquasafe or Stress zyme) - not both.

Uhm, nothing eats poo but nice try

 

[kakihara]

I'll stick with the aquasafe so bloozoo2.

I'll be getting my snail tomorrow and I was wondering

1. What food will the snail eat

2. Do you put the snail into the tank the same way you'd put a fish, i.e acclimatise it to the water temp first etc?

Pity about the poopy fish (patent pending on that name) though, he would have been cool ... and very popular among fishkeepers

 

[Bloo]

If you are getting an applesnail, applesnail.net is an awesome website that will really tell you just about absolutely everything (and more!) you need to know

If I remember correctly, an applesnail will account for 2 gallons of water (working on the inch per gallon guideline).

HTH

 

[kakihara]

Wow, that's such a cool site.

Thanks alot

 

[dwarfgourami]

The gravel vac does look kind of messy all right, lloks like a 2 person job to me, one to hold the bucket and the other to does the hoovering.

The way I do my gravel vacuuming is this:

I plonk two 10-litre buckets on the floor next to the tank (because I change more than a bucketload at a time). For my higher tank I use a chair to put the bucket on,as the syphon wouldn't reach the floor. Switch off all the electrics in the tank! Point tube end of vac into bucket with my right hand, hold gravel vac in tank with left hand. Prime vac end with water so as to get water running through it into bucket, as soon as this is going I make sure to keep it under water so as not to end suction and hold it over the gravel. Whenever I want to move it (or change buckets) I put one finger over the tube end, so that water stops flowing but suction is maintained. Move vac end (or bucket), take away finger and flow of water continues. It gets easier every week.