10 Gallon Tank How to clean dead plant matter without vacuum?

I got my gravel/sand vacuum working and did two rounds of sucking up the remains of almond leaves I put in a long time ago and forgot to take out. There are bits everywhere and they're even stuck in places I can hardly see and the vacuum cannot reach.

I'm tired of constantly having to get the vacuum working to suck the almond leaf matter up, having to refill the water, and (more than likely) stressing out my betta. I've already done it twice today and once each day for the past few days. Every time I vacuum some up it seems like more bits of almond leaf appear from out of nowhere. I'm trying to make sure all the waste is gone from the tank by the time the plants arrive (I'm making a South East Asian biotope so I ordered the proper plants on eBay since I can't get them at my LFS).

The two nerite snails I have focus on the algae in the tank, and the mystery snail just chills all day. I'm thinking about getting ramshorns (native to S.E.A. and will eat dead plant matter, so that's good) but I don't want them to overpopulate and I don't want the tank to get too cluttered.

So, how do I clean the leaf matter up without using the vacuum and all that other stuff?

 

Firstly it doesn’t matter if you leave the almond leaves to decompose completely, they won’t do any harm. But if you don’t like the look it’s best to remove the leaves before they start to break into small pieces.

 

Firstly it doesn’t matter if you leave the almond leaves to decompose completely, they won’t do any harm. But if you don’t like the look it’s best to remove the leaves before they start to break into small pieces.

I added them a long time ago, like months. If it doesn't affect anything I guess I'll stop worrying about it but it's already completely broken up. If they eventually decompose entirely and are not noticeable, then I'll be happy. I'm just worried they are the reason there is algae growing in the first place, and maybe the cause for some of the BGA in the tank.

I only have 1 Amazon sword that's not in the best shape, and some recently introduced duckweed. The plants that are being shipped to me (Rotala rotundifolia, Hygrophila Corymbosa, and Cryptocoryne wendtii) are plants that'll grow big and (for two of them) spread across the tank and create a sort of jungle that should not only suppress normal algae but (hopefully) deal with the BGA.

It also kicks up a lot since the decaying little bits of leaf got basically everywhere in the tank and clouds the water slightly, the tiny bits of it that continue floating in the water for a while also make it look straight-up dirty when it's just some micro leaf bits.

 

I know what you mean, I don’t think they are responsible for the blue green algae, but they can make a mess, in a small tank it may be best to remove them and add fresh before they disintegrate. I would definitely try to remove the blue green algae before adding your plants, it can smother plant leaves and be more difficult to remove. If it persists you can use something like Ultralife easy green stain remover, just one dose will fix it and it’s not harmful to fish. Actually the almond leaves should help to prevent Cyanobacteria. Also this tends to occur when nitrates are very low, or low in relation to phosphates.

 

I know what you mean, I don’t think they are responsible for the blue green algae, but they can make a mess, in a small tank it may be best to remove them and add fresh before they disintegrate. I would definitely try to remove the blue green algae before adding your plants, it can smother plant leaves and be more difficult to remove. If it persists you can use something like Ultralife easy green stain remover, just one dose will fix it and it’s not harmful to fish. Actually the almond leaves should help to prevent Cyanobacteria. Also this tends to occur when nitrates are very low, or low in relation to phosphates.

Both nitrites and nitrates are at 0. The BGA is pretty small in numbers currently and I recently removed most of it with a plastic claw. Do plants help with BGA or do they not affect it?

 

You could try catching it in a fish net. you could add a pre filter and when the sponge is covered in debris, you bag it and remove it.

 

You could try catching it in a fish net. you could add a pre filter and when the sponge is covered in debris, you bag it and remove it.

I don't even have an actual filter rn, it's a marina S10 slim that's arriving tomorrow though. I think it even comes with a pre-filter.

 

Both nitrites and nitrates are at 0. The BGA is pretty small in numbers currently and I recently removed most of it with a plastic claw. Do plants help with BGA or do they not affect it?

I don’t think plants help with BGA, they can be damaged by it though. You might need to add a fertiliser containing nitrogen, to help the plants and combat BGA. And yes, when the particles of almond leaf break down into much finer pieces they will be caught by the pre filter.

 

I don’t think plants help with BGA, they can be damaged by it though. You might need to add a fertiliser containing nitrogen, to help the plants and combat BGA. And yes, when the particles of almond leaf break down into much finer pieces they will be caught by the pre filter.

I might just stick with the stain remover you suggested. Does it hurt the plants or other algae?

 

I might just stick with the stain remover you suggested. Does it hurt the plants or other algae?

No, it only kills the BGA (which is a bacteria).

 

No, it only kills the BGA (which is a bacteria)

Thanks. Picking it out in it's early stages with a little claw is easy but it basically regrows over night and spreads like a weed.

Now that's one less thing to worry about. Finally, my biggest worry is if the new filter will prevent duckweed from growing haha.

 

Picking it out in it's early stages with a little claw is easy but it basically regrows over night and spreads like a weed.

I know!

my biggest worry is if the new filter will prevent duckweed from growing haha.

Just make a corral with airline tubing, it should be fine.

 

I know!

Just make a corral with airline tubing, it should be fine.

Just got the new filter and the cryptocoryne in. Crypt isn't in the best shape and a stem or two came off. It's by the filter, I hope the suction doesn't suck any stems off and the current doesn't damage anything.

 

You could try a turkey baster to suck up leaf bits.

 

Can you reduce the flow if its too much? Crypts often melt initially, but then grow back new leaves later, so don't dump them if they appear to have died.