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	How Often Do You Gravel Vac??
Fallout Moderator Communications Specialist Posts: 6416 Kudos: 4053 Votes: 742 Registered: 29-Jul-2000
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
nthqldfish Fingerling Posts: 18 Kudos: 11 Votes: 13 Registered: 07-Jan-2006	Hey Oldtimer, Spoke to local expert today. Auarium shop with everything from blue tangs to guppies. The deep gravel vac came up in conversation. She said that she does a deep gravel every week, however it depends on how well your filtration works. Good filtration = less vacs needed. Too many Kid's, not enough Fish
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
nthqldfish Fingerling Posts: 18 Kudos: 11 Votes: 13 Registered: 07-Jan-2006	Ta Rusty, Mind is made up. Sand it is. Too many Kid's, not enough Fish
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
RustyBlade Mega Fish Posts: 987 Kudos: 1667 Votes: 391 Registered: 23-Apr-2003	nthqldfish, I still vaccume very lightly around plants to pick up the odd bit of poop (pleco) but no, there's no need to plunge or spend the time you need to with gravel. The beauty of sand is that with enough water movement the stuff that normally would sit there gets moved (because of the flat surface of sand) and eventually gets sucked up by your filtration The only draw back of sand is that you have to make sure that the intakes of your filters don't sit too low. I've pulled tanks down after years of running with river sand and the sand is still clean and healthy
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
tankie Fish Addict Posts: 857 Kudos: 848 Votes: 230 Registered: 15-Mar-2005	i do deep gravel vac every week...i got platies in my tank and they can be very messy.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
LITTLE_FISH *** Little Fish *** Master of Something Posts: 7303 Kudos: 1997 Votes: 670 Registered: 20-May-2005	The question is very specific: How often do you do a deep gravel vacuum? I vacuum the gravel in my 3/4 heavy planted tanks (20G and 29G) but never deep. I just skimm the dirt of the top layer. Deep gravel vacuuming in my tank would, even if technically doable, have the disadvantage that I a) would remove some Laterite from the tank (bottom 3rd of gravel has it mixed in b) similar, would introduce the Laterite to the water column, not a good idea The large tank (125G) has no access to gravel Ingo Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
nthqldfish Fingerling Posts: 18 Kudos: 11 Votes: 13 Registered: 07-Jan-2006	Rusty, I'm setting up 6 x 110lt tanks and thinking of using live sand (sourced local) instead of gravel. Does this mean that I can do away with the gravel vac? Ta Rob Too many Kid's, not enough Fish
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
RustyBlade Mega Fish Posts: 987 Kudos: 1667 Votes: 391 Registered: 23-Apr-2003	Voted never The beauty of sand
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
T/A Mega Fish Posts: 942 Kudos: 1796 Registered: 20-Feb-2004	I choose one a week. But I don't really do deep gravel vacs. I have sand substrate. So all I do is a top-layer sand vac once a week, which is also will every water change.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
reun Big Fish Posts: 332 Kudos: 216 Registered: 04-Nov-2005	i do 30% water changes once a week with the gravel vac...for one, my bumblee catfish is a messy eater, and for two, to make sure the tetras get food i dump alot of flakes and bloodworms in at once and my angel gets most of it(havent started chasing it away yet) so it poops alot,lol.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
So_Very_Sneaky Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3238 Kudos: 2272 Votes: 201 Registered: 10-Mar-2004	I gravel vac as much of the gravel as I can get too every single water change, which is about once every 10-14 days. About twice a year I move the plants and vaccuum under them, just by sliding them over in the gravel. I use a python, and as long as its turned on, im sucking in the gravel. Come Play Yahtzee With Me! http://games.atari.com Http://www.myleague.com/yahtgames
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
OldTimer Mega Fish USAF Retired Posts: 1181 Kudos: 1294 Votes: 809 Registered: 08-Feb-2005	How often do you do a deep gravel vacuum?? And why do you do it at this time. I personally deep vacuum approximately every other time I change the water. Too much? or not enough? Jim Water, taken in moderation, cannot hurt anybody. -- Mark Twain
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
Wingsdlc Fish Guru What is this? Posts: 2332 Kudos: 799 Registered: 18-Jan-2005	I have 4 tanks going right now and they are all just a little different. Planted tank I only do a very light vac where I know my pleco hangs out. The rest of it I tend to just hover over. 50% water change every week Sand bottem tank I do a vac every week with my water change. 35% Convict tank. Pretty heavey vac witha 30-50% water change every week. I have a getting big and dirty pleco in there. 20 gallon...... well it is just a fry tank so there isnt a big amount of poo to get. 55G Planted tank thread 19G Container Pond [IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y118/Wingsdlc/Ric
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
divertran Fish Addict Posts: 784 Kudos: 469 Votes: 165 Registered: 14-Nov-2004	I do it every water change, about a third of the gravel at a time.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
bcwcat22 Big Fish Posts: 395 Kudos: 314 Votes: 34 Registered: 16-Jul-2005	I work in a circle around my tank so I dont over vacuum one part "A noble spirit embiggens the smallest man" Simpsons
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
jasonpisani Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 5553 Kudos: 7215 Votes: 1024 Registered: 24-Feb-2003	I gravel vac, & do water changes every 2/3 weeks. http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/ Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970. http://www.maltaaquarist.com
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
Natalie Ultimate Fish Guru Apolay Wayyioy Posts: 4499 Kudos: 3730 Votes: 348 Registered: 01-Feb-2003	I don't gravel vac. There's too many plants. The most I do is hover the syphon over the gravel to collect any debris on the surface, but I don't disturb the mulm that forms in the gravel. I'm not your neighbor, you Bakersfield trash.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
keithgh Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 6371 Kudos: 6918 Votes: 1542 Registered: 26-Apr-2003	I can only vac in the front of both tanks. It is done at the 25% weekly water change. Have a look in [link=My Profile]http:// www.fishprofiles.com/interactive/forums/profile.asp?userid=6741" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link] for my tank info [link=Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tanks]http://photobucket.com/albums/b209/keithgh/Betta%20desktop%20tank/" style="COLOR: #00FF00[/link] Keith Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do. I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT? VOTE NOW VOTE NOW
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
Bob Wesolowski Mega Fish Posts: 1379 Kudos: 1462 Registered: 14-Oct-2004	I wave the Python wand above the EcoComplete every water change to raise debris from the surface of the substrate. Eco has a small size that compacts well but sheds sand like granules when vacuumed... bad for plumbing goosenecks! __________ "To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research." researched from Steven Wright
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
sham Ultimate Fish Guru Posts: 3369 Kudos: 2782 Votes: 98 Registered: 21-Apr-2004	On my one and only tank that has gravel instead of something like EC or sand I vac all the unplanted areas every water change which is every other week. As for the other tanks basically never. Sometimes I suck off junk I see like if the royal plec sits in one spot and leaves a huge pile of pleco poo or if part of the hornwort plant looses it's needles all over the place. Otherwise I just stir it up so the filter gets some of it and let the trumpet snails mix the rest in as plant food.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:19
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