10 Gallon Tank Can I stop doing gravel vacuuming?

Hi,

My tank (10g) is heavily stocked with guppies. Also, alot of plants that are growing well. I got two sponge filters keeping good water quality.

But plants are growing bigger and getting denser, and gravel vacuuming each week is feeling like a big pita. Also, I feel like I am damaging the roots. I can only effectively gravel vac 1/3 of the tank bottom, anyway.

I see other people's heavily planted tank that looks impossible to gravel vac. I guess they never gravel vac.

So, can I just not gravel vac and increase my water change frequency instead?

Will bacteria breakdown this waste into harmless matter?

 

I don't think you need to up the water changes. If you have lots of plants you remove nitrates and other waste through pruning. You should still do them to refresh the minerals and remove tannins.

 

Btw, I noticed a lot of tiny white worms when gravel vacuuming last week. Is that a good thing to have?

 

You are most likely, like most fish keepers, overfeeding your fish....and keeping too many fish.

Less fish / Less feed = less worms + fish hunting worms (= less worms) + substrate able to keep up processing waste (= less worms + healthier plants).

If, for whatever reason, you like to have all the guppies, I might vac. clean just the surface / top of your substrate. But not, and never, the substrate itself.

A picture of the tank and worms would help though.

 

You are most likely, like most fish keepers, overfeeding your fish....and keeping too many fish.

You are probably right. The real problem is I dont have complete control over the fish tank. This is the family tank. I do maintainence. I dont even like guppies. I try to reduce the fish load, but am overruled.

But I think I can convince the family to get rid of the plants. Then, I will be able to do a better job of cleaning he gravel.

 

If your gravel bed is aged & deep, maybe three inches, then really no need to gravel vac. The embedded bacteria will take care of the waste.
Still need to do a weekly 50% water change.

 

Why are you gravel vacuuming? If it is to remove visible debris then all you need to do clean the surface. No need to get down into the substrate.

If you want to vac around plants you can use a turkey baster to direct a stream of water at the base of the plant to stir up the debris so you can then vac it without disturbing the plants.

 

Guppies are poop machines! Lol

Its preference, to gravel vac or not to gravel vac. Is the tank heavily planted, deep substrate, fully seasoned, overstocked...some things to consider when thinking of it

However if your overstocked then its more than likely needed. Just hover over the substrate when your near plants so your don't disturb their roots and go in a bit where there is not. But don't go all the way down. Just enough to get it in. Wait until vac seems clear then move to another area.

Careful not to do too much of a clean as this can upset the cycle. Do the filter separately (if you clean yours) on a different day. When we have to give a sponge a squeeze we don't touch the substrate until the following week.

But if your overstocked then I would highly suggest 50% water changes weekly and a good vac. Reduce to feeding once a day. Skipping a day also does not hurt as there is tons of things for them (should be in a mature tank) to munch on.