Should i not gravel vac every water change!
- Thread starter bengalsfan47025
- Start date
Really? I hadn't heard this, now I'm curious too. For me there's always a ton of stuff that comes out of the gravel every time so I thought I had to.
There are bacteria in the gravel that add a lot of filtration. I do have of the gravel when I do a water change and the other have next time.
I believe the small spike in ammonia comes from the ammonia produced by the waste and uneaten food that goes under the gravel. That ammonia gets trapped under the gravel and will not be registered when you test your water normally. But when you vacuum the gravel, it comes out (never seen bubbles going up the hose while vacuuming?).
Usually I make my fish fast for a day just after a water change / gravel clean up. This decreases the load on my filters, giving them time enough to deal with the extra ammonia. I also add a strong powerhead with a venturi to really aerate the water - again to get rid of the ammonia, this time by displacement.
All in all, I vacuum the gravel once a week (along with my weekly 80% water change). And considering the amount of crap coming out when I do that, I can't think of not doing it!
Usually I make my fish fast for a day just after a water change / gravel clean up. This decreases the load on my filters, giving them time enough to deal with the extra ammonia. I also add a strong powerhead with a venturi to really aerate the water - again to get rid of the ammonia, this time by displacement.
All in all, I vacuum the gravel once a week (along with my weekly 80% water change). And considering the amount of crap coming out when I do that, I can't think of not doing it!
Gravel vacuming is how you remove nitrates from your tank. I do this weekly. Be sure to get under & around decor, especially inside plastic plants--this is where a lot of waste/uneaten food gets caught. The only tank I don't vacume thoroughly is my planted tank. It is still good to pull up older plants & vacume under them & trim back the roots before replanting.
It really depends. If your doing more than 1 waterchange a week I wouldnt.
I fast my fish the day before and after my water changes, that way when I do do a water change, I can do a gravel vac at the same time. I only do w/cs once every 2 weeks and its 50%
its amazing how much crap comes outa the gravel...
so, in otherwords I dont think your harming anything by doing a gravel vac when you do the w/c.
I fast my fish the day before and after my water changes, that way when I do do a water change, I can do a gravel vac at the same time. I only do w/cs once every 2 weeks and its 50%
its amazing how much crap comes outa the gravel...
so, in otherwords I dont think your harming anything by doing a gravel vac when you do the w/c.
Pufferpunk;1376928; said:
i beg to differ, water changes remove nitrates, gravel vaccing removes waste that hasnt broken down yet.
dmopar74;1376935; said:
gravel vaccing also takes out water at the same time, not just waste.
so it does take out nitrates.