Necessary To Vacuum Gravel Every Week?

I've been vacuuming the gravel every week in both tanks (while doing a 25% PWC).
It seems to stress out some of the fish (while others seem to enjoy it).
Would it be okay to vacuum once a month?

Tank 1: 20g, AC 30
4 Platy
2 Honey G
6 Cory
4 shrimp

Tank 2: 29 gallon tall, AC 70
1 Angel
8 BST
6 Kuhli
3 Java Loach

 

Vacuuming your gravel gets rid of anaerobic pockets of harmful gases. If a bubble of that escapes it can have very negative consequences on your fish. It also gets rid of some of the physical pieces of muck.

Since you’re not supposed to vacuum all of your gravel at once, as that sucks up any beneficial bacteria living in it, doing it once a month might cause a build up of waste.

Doing a little bit each week is the way I’d go about it.

I’m relatively new to the forum so please correct me if I’m wrong on stuff

 

Not 100% positive how often you are suppose to do it. I can get away doing it biweekly. But I have my cories constantly shifting through my sand?

Once a month does sound too long to me.

 

Once a month is going to be stretching it a bit, and weekly is probably to often. Try meeting half way and do it every 2 weeks, but keep up your weekly water changes though.

 

Vacuuming your gravel gets rid of anaerobic pockets of harmful gases. If a bubble of that escapes it can have very negative consequences on your fish. It also gets rid of some of the physical pieces of muck.

Since you’re not supposed to vacuum all of your gravel at once, as that sucks up any beneficial bacteria living in it, doing it once a month might cause a build up of waste.

Doing a little bit each week is the way I’d go about it.

I’m relatively new to the forum so please correct me if I’m wrong on stuff

I vacuum all of my gravel every week without any loss to my BB

 

I vacuum half the gravel each week while doing a 25% water change.

As I have an undergravel filter it never has any anaerobic pockets. Oxygenated water is drawn through it 24/7.

 

Under-gravel filters aside - you cannot vacuum gravel often enough. When I used gravel I could vac it FOREVER and still get stuff out of it.

Which is why I switched to sand.