Caper Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 Just wondering when people vacuum how they do their vacuuming? Examples: 1) Do you only vacuum the "top" of the gravel anytime you vacuum? 2) Do you stir the gravel up, so to speak? Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 It is important to stir up the gravel when you vacuum. That is why bottom dwelling fish are good as they turn over the substrate too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted October 1, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 I only give it a real stir when I do the monthly cleaning, the rest of the time it's more of just the top. Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 Whats gravel? I just suck the poo off the bare bottom! :lol: When I had sand I usually tried to vacuum the full depth of it, although I only use a very thin layer as I'm not trying to grow plants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 I use sand and plant tanks heavily---only vac lightly off the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 1, 2007 Report Share Posted October 1, 2007 In the turtle tanks with gravel I give the gravel a good stir up every few months with the vac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdspider Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 The other day I gave the gravel a supergood clean and moved around everything in the tank & the fish were all very upset with me for a day or so... I think I may have hit Mr Hoppy in the face with the gravel siphon too :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dixon1990 Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 who is mr hoppy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bdspider Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 My hoplo catfish. He's actually a female.... He's normally incredibly tame and friendly, definitely my fave fish. But he's sulky at me now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Stirring up the gravel can be very dangerous. Especially if you have what is called dead spots. I stab down into the gravel, gravel goes up a wee way, drops back down waste goes up & out. Then I stab the place next to it, so on & so on. I don't want a heap of waste floating around in the water column. Frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Yep, I don't stir, but I push the vac deep. As above, don't want no poos in the drinking water! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Poos is good. I hope you don't remove it all then replace it with additives from the shop to make your plants grow. Plants can't grow in pure water. Ijust remove any excess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 I (personally) don't vac around plants etc, just open areas where its going to get eww. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Stir was probably a bad word. I dig the siphon in as deep as I can and the gravel gets turned over as the water sucks up the tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janelle Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 I do the stabby thing which stirs up gravel in one spot at a time. No actual stirring motions involved... Edit: Yeah, what Caryl said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayci Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 Is it a bad idea to plug the gravel vac into the canister filter and then do the vacuuming? Reason for doing this: I can take my time and do a good vac gob. I don't have do worry about forgeting that the container is filling up and going to overflow. I got a short attention span, so that is easy done by me. I kept my eye on the vac the full time and don't have to worry about sucking up fish when I am checking how full the contaier is. After gravel vac with canister, just clean filter as pre normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpidersWeb Posted October 2, 2007 Report Share Posted October 2, 2007 That's probably ok, although you shouldn't really disturb your external filter that much, I never clean my externals keeps the bacteria much happier. If you're not having problems then go for your life though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted October 3, 2007 Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 I wouldn't do it. Excess rubbish can kill the bacteria in the filter, not to forget clogging it. Why not gravel vac one side on time. The other side the next time. Frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 3, 2007 Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 When I am setting up a tank I usually raise the media (sand) towards the back and each side and therefore the lowest area is a small patch in the middle at the front and this is where most of the gunge ends up, so it is easy to remove it during water changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayci Posted October 3, 2007 Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 I didn't realize that excess rubbish killed off the bacteria. I thought only a clogged filter or a filter been turned off for a few hours killed them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 3, 2007 Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 Excess rubbish can lead to excess nutrient and therefore algae or bacteria blooms but is unlikely to kill off bacteria as it is bacteria kai. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted October 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 Stirring up the gravel can be very dangerous Why? Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 3, 2007 Report Share Posted October 3, 2007 For those not native to this fair land (go the allblacks) kai is the maori word for food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted October 4, 2007 Report Share Posted October 4, 2007 I believe the reason you don't want to stir up too much gunk is that, unavoidably, there are pockets of bacteria from waste and any excess food decomposing in there which can be bad for the fish. Cloudy water is often a sign of a bacteria bloom. This isn't always harmful but it has the potential to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted October 4, 2007 Report Share Posted October 4, 2007 It is also usually very fine and lands on the plants preventing them from getting light, and looking gungy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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