stirring gravel

[kenneth_kpe]

ive been reading around that in a planted tank the pockets of gas that form in the gravel is 02 and not the harmful one. Is this true ?should i still stir the gravel even if my tank is heavily planted ? stirring might cause the roots to get damaged ? right ? or wrong ? btw i noticed that when i stir the gravel a little the places where i placed root tabs tend to bubble a lot when stirred..... ?

 

[Stryker]

Personally I'd leave it alone. I've never stirred the gravel and had no bad side affects.

Yes, I'd say you would damage the root stiring the gravel. A well established plant could have roots God knows where.

 

[nitro]

I wouldn't worry about it if its gravel subsate, the problem(anerobic respiration) occurs more with a sand substate.

 

[kenneth_kpe]

ic ic, but do you guys notice air bubbles going up when you stir ur gravel a little... im using a small tank 15 gal and little things if overlooked might cause fishie deaths in a lil tank just wanna be sure.. i still dont have em test kits for nitirite and nitrate and ammonia

 

[nitro]

Hi

I dont stir my gravel so i dont notice any air bubbles rising.

By all means you can stir your gravel around if your that worried but i wouldnt stir it around very often.

 

[Barday]

My tank is pretty heavily planted and I have never stired the gravel appart from when I do a gravel vac.

 

[Silly me]

I also dont stir my gravel, but I also dont have bubbles coming for the gravel, are you sure you dont have something thats rotting down there..

 

[Griz]

I have a planted tank with sand. I don't actually stir it much, but when I vacuum I do stir up and clean the top quarter inch or so. A few bubbles do rise if I move a rock or piece of driftwood that sits deep into the sand.

 

[kenneth_kpe]

ic ic, i notice the bubbling in the places where i place the root tabs... im starting to think that its the root tabs that are causing the bubbling sometimes... hmmm actually i stir my gravel only when i vacuum it every now and then