how do you gravel vac with plants?

Hi, just a quick question for all you with planted tanks, how do you gravel vac your tank without disturbing all your plants? I have to replant mine nearly every time I change the water, and I'm missing so much gunk!!

 

With the plants you don't have to worry as much, usually IF I vac its only to pick up some surface crud. I leave the rest for the plants to suck off of, all that nice stuff you vac out is a lot of good nutrients for the plants.

Now, if you only have a couple of plants in a big tank then no just don't get quite as close to them that's all.

When my 75 was more of a jungle I didn't even bother, I have a bunch of khulis that love to scavenge for food and are little pigs haha. Other than that I just kinda let it run its own course. Occasionally I would dump a bucket of water in a bit hard and just try to van out what I stirred up.

 

I agree. In a lightly planted tank, I still gravel vac, but avoid the area where the plants are rooted. In a heavily planted tank, I only do a quick surface scan to pick up anything that may have collected.

The beauty of a heavily planted tank is that the water changes are much easier!

 

Hello, I have a lightly planted tank with large gravel. I just vac everything really well except, as said above, I do not go neear the plants. If one happens to come up I just replant it and move on..... It seems to work out alright. I vac every other day and I usually do not uproot a plant. Wendy

 

Good morning,

My 33g long tank is heavily planted and I do not vacuum at all. However, I also do 50% to water changes every 5 days.

Ken

 

I never gravel vac my planted tank just water changes

 

I still do gravel vacs in my 10 gallon because there's just so much stuff down there... The bigger tank is easier because it has sand so all the stuff get's sucked up easily and it's easier to put the plants back in place. I keep the water sprite in a plastic pot with gravel to make it stay in place and easier to clean.

 

I still do gravel vacs in my 10 gallon because there's just so much stuff down there...

Agreed! I have my 10 and do the gravel vacuum. Issue is my siphon goes so slow... I could have my 29 gallon done in the time that I have finished my 10 gal.

I've been having issues with higher nitrates, so I have been going a bit deeper with my gravel vacuum since the plants are sucking the nitrates out - or at least not as much as I would hope.

 

Excellent news thank you all.....going to make my life easier

 

Good morning,

My 33g long tank is heavily planted and I do not vacuum at all. However, I also do 50% to water changes every 5 days.

Ken

How do you add the water back? I use a 5gal bucket to mix the Prime in then just pour slowly but even so when I do the 50% change outs it seems to move everything around inside! (corner bow so maybe mine being so high makes the difference?)