Gravel Issue - Dirty On One Side Of Tank

[emersongalicia]

I have a 75 gallon stocked with a Tiger Oscar and Albino Oscar (before anyone jumps to say the tank is too small, I agree, just using to grow out and will upgrade to a 125.

I am noticing that one side of the tanks gravel is getting covered in dark, dirt like, residue. Not sure what this is from. I am using a Fluval 110 for filtration. The side that is showing this dirt is the side that I usually feed on (not sure if this is relevant since oscars are dirty eaters). Anyone had these issues before??

One picture is of the clean substrate the other with the dirt, it is not as obvious in picture.

Thanks,

 

[JamieXPXP]

do you vacuum your gravel?

 

[emersongalicia]

do you vacuum your gravel?

I do two water changes a week, but no I do not, I did this to past water change but did not see much improvement.

 

[TexasDomer]

Try this, and stick the siphon tube into the gravel. Best way to clean your substrate.

 

[Floundering_Around]

It may be due to a "dead zone" in the water due to the flow pattern. Gravel vac is prob a must if your filter isn't able to take care of it

 

[JamieXPXP]

I always stick mine deep in the gravel to get all the junk out. personally I think vacuuming is a must if you don't have a planted tank

 

[Floundering_Around]

I always stick mine deep in the gravel to get all the junk out. personally I think vacuuming is a must if you don't have a planted tank

Agreed, however I think vacuuming is even more important with a planted tank as all the gunk can get trapped in the plants and any exposed roots. Plus, leaves will drop and start rotting.
You don't have to vac the whole tank every time you do a water change, maybe just half or focus on where you see the most waste. If you have house plants, they'll love the extra nitrogen and nutrients

 

[JamieXPXP]

Agreed, however I think vacuuming is even more important with a planted tank as all the gunk can get trapped in the plants and any exposed roots. Plus, leaves will drop and start rotting.
You don't have to vac the whole tank every time you do a water change, maybe just half or focus on where you see the most waste. If you have house plants, they'll love the extra nitrogen and nutrients

some plants benefit from the waste in the gravel so you won't really need to do that much vacuuming if at all depending on how heavily planted it is. haha I haven't really though of using that junk as plant ferts before

 

[david1978]

I had a wave maker low in the tank to try to push some of their mess towards the filter. It seemed to help alot.

 

[DarkOne]

Plants and Oscars are like oil and water.

When I had oscars, I gravel vacuumed every week at least. Usually 2-3 times per week.

You might want to get another 110 filter and run 2. 1 isn't enough for 2 oscars.

 

[emersongalicia]

So I did use a vacuum the gravel, the day of I didn’t notice much change but a day later it’s clean. And I was thinking of getting another filter and/or wave maker. Great advice all of this seems to be working.