Do I need to gravel vac ?

I have a planted tank with a small-medium sized grain gravel substrate. No aquasoil or any dirt underneath. I also have some root tabs in the gravel and dose flourish.

I have kuhli loaches (which I feed blackworms) and Malaysian trumpet snails that both burrow into the substrate.

I've been deep gravel vacuuming all throughout the tank for a while in this tank, however, I always end up sucking up blackworms (which I don't want to do as I want them to reproduce and feed my kuhli loaches) and I heard it's better for the plants for fish poop to pile up and become fertiliser.

So with the kuhli loaches and snails moving the substrate and the snails and blackworms consuming leftover food, is it necessary to gravel vac and would my plants do better if I didn't?

 

You could gravel vac just the excess debris off the surface if you wanted to keep down the nutrient load. You could use a chopstick for example to push deep into the gravel to loosen it up and allow in oxygen. I do both.

 

You could gravel vac just the excess debris off the surface if you wanted to keep down the nutrient load. You could use a chopstick for example to push deep into the gravel to loosen it up and allow in oxygen. I do both.

What's the name of that bright green plant? Looks good. Wouldn't the snails and loaches be enough to dig around and move the substrate to allow oxygen in ? They're constantly burrowing. Also I heard there are benifits of leaving debris on the surface and creating a layer of mulm. What are the pros and cons of that?

 

No, you don't need to. I haven't vacced in years and have seen no change in my tanks.

As said you can just clean the surface instead of the whole substrate. Also, in hard to reach areas where you might worry about uprooting plants etc, you can use a turkey baster to squirt water at the area to get the crud into the water coloumn so you can suck it out.

 

If your tank is balanced you do not need to gravel vac. A balanced bio filter will absorb the fish poop.

Having worms growing in your substrate is awesome. You seem to be on your way to a fully balanced ecosystem. There would be no need for gravel vacuuming in such a mature and balanced tank.

Gravel vacuuming is for when you have an unbalanced tank, like lots of fish that make poop faster than the bio filter can absorb, or you feed to much, or you have plants that keep dying, etc.

Seek the balance point.

The stuff that you don't vacuum becomes soil and feeds the plants and bio filter.

Every once in a while a big cleaning won't hurt - like a hurricane stirring up the river.

 

I also haven't gravel vac'd in many years. My tanks are crowded & I feed quite a bit. The nitrates are consistently <20.
IMO, a thick gravel bed & a weekly 35% - 50% WC is required.
I keep three varieties of Botia Loaches, which keep the substrate aerated & relatively clean.

 

What's the name of that bright green plant? Looks good. Wouldn't the snails and loaches be enough to dig around and move the substrate to allow oxygen in ? They're constantly burrowing. Also I heard there are benifits of leaving debris on the surface and creating a layer of mulm. What are the pros and cons of that?

Everybody's situation is different but I get cyanobacteria if I just leave mulm in there.

My plants grow amazingly with what I am doing. I've been growing them this way in this tank/substrate without change since 2008.

Its up to you to judge and maybe experiment with your setup to find the best way forward for you. I'm just suggesting what ideas I can rather than passing by without offering any advice.

The plant is Hygrophila polysperma (often called just Hygro) and it is an easy one. I let it grow up then I cut it down to the bottom. It never ceases to amuse me.

 

Nerite snails will eat the cynobacteria and keep that in check.

 

Nerite snails will eat the cynobacteria and keep that in check.

And Clown loaches keep nerite snails in check!

 

I mostly use the vac just to change the water and maybe get some of the bigger debris up, like the occasional leftover wafer or something, at this point.

 

If you don't have mulm building up on the substrate then you likely don't need to gravel vac. I would imagine you don't have an issue with mulm since you have gravel and MTS. The plants will enjoy the fertilized substrate. If you start seeing algae or your nitrates aren't staying low, then add more plants or vac a bit.

 

Everybody's situation is different but I get cyanobacteria if I just leave mulm in there.

My plants grow amazingly with what I am doing. I've been growing them this way in this tank/substrate without change since 2008.

Its up to you to judge and maybe experiment with your setup to find the best way forward for you. I'm just suggesting what ideas I can rather than passing by without offering any advice.

The plant is Hygrophila polysperma (often called just Hygro) and it is an easy one. I let it grow up then I cut it down to the bottom. It never ceases to amuse me.

I have that plant. It's very nice.

 

I have a planted tank with a small-medium sized grain gravel substrate. No aquasoil or any dirt underneath. I also have some root tabs in the gravel and dose flourish.

I have kuhli loaches (which I feed blackworms) and Malaysian trumpet snails that both burrow into the substrate.

I've been deep gravel vacuuming all throughout the tank for a while in this tank, however, I always end up sucking up blackworms (which I don't want to do as I want them to reproduce and feed my kuhli loaches) and I heard it's better for the plants for fish poop to pile up and become fertiliser.

So with the kuhli loaches and snails moving the substrate and the snails and blackworms consuming leftover food, is it necessary to gravel vac and would my plants do better if I didn't?

I never gravel vac, but you need stronger light for your hygrophila regardless of vacuuming