I use a reverse undergravel filter and Malaysian Trumpet snails with a playsand and lava rock substrate in an understocked low tech planted rainbow tank. My numbers stick close to straight zeros and I don't gravelvac (whenever I feel like it, 1-2 months) or WC (50% every 2-3 weeks) much. I also have a flying fox who plays in the top layer of sand.
Eliminating need to gravel vac?
- Thread starter xDestro
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- earth eater substrate
Read @RD probiotic sticky then increase flow... i havent gravel vac'd in almost 2 years
I did have recently kind of, but I didn't do it properly and messed it up; I've since added a nano filter again. I think it's a good method though, I read Diana Walstad's journals a while back; plenty of people do it using garden soil bought in garden centres etc
This is for your tanks that is that red flint gravel right? I tried the probiotics but i always ended up with the dust that in a bare bottom looks like a mess.
Hendre
What I started doing was pre-mixing in a cup and then I would pour it into a fine filter sock hanging in my tank (no sump). Still always get debris into the tank. Considering my light load of only 1 fish in a 180g, bare bottom, and that I feed food size that my aimara eats whole I am guessing I need this much less than folks that over stock 
Put it in your filter. It will work is way into your substrate.
I use pool filter sand, excellent circulation, and hoplo cats. I have zero detritus to siphon out with a gravel vac. All the crud gets caught either in my filter socks or the mechanical area of my canister filters.
+1
I've had my over stocked 90 gallon Mbuna tank with PFS and a sump running for 2-1/2 years and have yet to vacuum.
I've had my over stocked 90 gallon Mbuna tank with PFS and a sump running for 2-1/2 years and have yet to vacuum.
Eliminating gravel = eliminating gravel vac.
I use sand, most of the gunk sits on top of it so it's easy to suck up with a siphon (I use a long length of PVC on a flexible hose). Even with Geophagus you still need to stir it occasionally, I had 12 adult altifrons in a 6x3' footprint tank and they kept the top layer regularly turned over, but the deeper parts still need to be disturbed occasionally.
I use sand, most of the gunk sits on top of it so it's easy to suck up with a siphon (I use a long length of PVC on a flexible hose). Even with Geophagus you still need to stir it occasionally, I had 12 adult altifrons in a 6x3' footprint tank and they kept the top layer regularly turned over, but the deeper parts still need to be disturbed occasionally.
