Gravel Syphoning/cleaning With Fine Under Substrate

[Leila2]

Two of my tanks have a very fine soil-like substrate covered by about an inch of peagravel. These tanks are both planted. I have had the older one of them for about 5 months and only once attempted to clean the gravel (which doesn't look at all in need of cleaning). I stopped my attempt within a few seconds because the fine soil-like substrate was going straight through the gravel and into the bucket. So am I correct in thinking there is no actual need to vacuum these aquariums at all?

 

[Mr Spoon]

I got a similar setup and had the same happen. So now I vacuum without digging into the gravel so you only suck up the mess sitting on top of the gravel.

 

[Leila2]

I got a similar setup and had the same happen. So now I vacuum without digging into the gravel so you only suck up the mess sitting on top of the gravel.

That is sensible. I think that the fine substrate and the plants must use up most of the fish waste very efficiently, but I wondered whether something is building up that eventually would cause a problem.

 

[Bobtastic]

You'd be best off using the same method as you would for vaccing sand. Hold the tube/hose/cleaner a little way above the substract and allow it to suck the loose waste off the top.

 

[Mr Spoon]

I got a similar setup and had the same happen. So now I vacuum without digging into the gravel so you only suck up the mess sitting on top of the gravel.

That is sensible. I think that the fine substrate and the plants must use up most of the fish waste very efficiently, but I wondered whether something is building up that eventually would cause a problem.

The way I see it is I vacuum weekly and any mess that builds up under the gravel the plants will use and the rest will be broken down by bacteria like in the filter. Your not going to get a build up of toxic gas like you can get with sand as gravel doesn't compact like sand.

 

[RadaR]

Easiest thing is to not do gravel vacuums. Hoover maybe. You can get away with doing this by having a large flow/turn over in the aquarium. 10x the volume of the tank turned over every hour. E.g. 100litre tank would have 1000lph of flow. Most planted tanks fish won't have a heavy bioload anyway so waste shouldn't be large. Remember the plants will be recycling nutrients in the gravel.

Your not going to get a build up of toxic gas like you can get with sand as gravel doesn't compact like sand.

We know this sort of thing isn't a problem now because the gas released instantly reacts with the oxygen in the water column, rendering it harmless to the inhabitants of the tank.