Vaccuming gravel?

Question

I was told recently by someone not to vaccum my gravel as it will disturb the bacteria in my tank while I'm trying to cycle it. Instead I was told to just change half the water to keep my ammonia and nitrite numbers down. My Corys are doing a good job at keeping the bottom clean but this doesn't do anything for the fish waste at the bottom. I'm kind of looking for a second opinion here.

Answer 1

The thought is correct, but the science is wrong. While much of the bacteria you need does live in the gravel, it's pretty firmly attached to the gravel and a simple gravel vacuuming will not remove enough to have any negative impact on cycling your tank. In fact, if you balance the ammonia produced by the waste in the gravel against the minor bacteria lost during vacumming, you come out ahead to go ahead and clean the gravel.

Go ahead a vacuum the tank, get the ammonia producing waste out of there.

MM

Answer 2

It can take a long time for a tank to cycle(5 or 6 weeks),water changes will help clean the water,and removing the ammonia will slow down the cycle any way. So try vacuuming half of the gravel this week,and half next week. It's true that vacuuming will remove some bacteria,and that will slow the cycle down,but you can't let the fish get ammonia burns either. The real answer is fish-less cycling, so try that the next time you cycle a tank. In the long run it's faster,and you don't risk harming the fish.

Answer 3

Not vacuuming your gravel is a recipe for disaster. However you do not need to get all of the gunk out when you vacuum the gravel just gently insert the vacuum in a grid like pattern across the tank floor until you have finished the gravel then continue to remove the rest of the water needed to do a 25% water change. 50% water changes are not necessary and are more likely to deplete the possitive bacteria than vacuuming the gravel. To help boost your bio filter you can add a product called CYCLE found at petsmart/petco and then just maintain a weekly 25% water change schedule and you will be good to go.

Answer 4

During the cycling process you really don't want to vaccum out the gravel extensivly. They are correct, and a good portion of your bacteria that converts your ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate live there. Once a month I give mine a good thorogh cleaning where I get that gravel pump deep into the gravel but thats about it. If you are seeing excess waste in the gravel bed, you can position your gravel pump slightly above or just on the surface of your gravel so as not to greatly siphon off that bacteria. It's really important during the cycle process to allow that bacteria to establish itself and grow. It takes roughly 24 hours for a bacteria colony to double in size, so time is always going to be on natures side, and you have to be patient. I think you're doing a great job staying on top of things with your water changes, but I'd reccomend you not over due that and let things run it's course as much as possible. If you see your ammonia readings reach lethal levels, then by all means do a change. That bacteria needs a source to feed on though and grow with.

Answer 5

I started my tank about 8 weeks ago,
and I changed 20 percent of the water per week (still do) by siphoning off the bottom and getting the fishes waste out of there, also poke down on the gravel to prevent harmful gas from forming.
and only feed 1 time per day.. if you change more the 20 percent it could cause shock to the fish as too much of a change of ph ect..

Answer 6

Vacuuming the gravel won't mess up the bacteria. They are very small and you can't really vacuum them out. Keeping deep deposits of gunk out of your gravel is good for your tank. It will help keep your Ph more stable and keep algae down, etc. Once a bacterial community is established, the only way you can damage it really is with chemicals you add to the water.

Answer 7

along with what My3mohr said about the product cycle which is loaded with the bacteria flora that you need you can also add seachem prime to help with those nitrates. anyway healthy fish is what you need. Also when changing that filter next time don't throw it out rinse it in some of your tank water that you have removed and reuse it so that you won't throw you tank back into a many cycle. Why, because that filter holds bunches of that healthy bacteria you need for that tank.

Answer 8

I wouldn't try taking out some of the water. At least you should just leave everything alone while in the cycling stage. I wouldn't put anything in there except little amount of fish food and skip feeding them to every other day or everyt three days to lessen the ammonia/nitrite produced by the fish. After about two months of cycling then you could change some of the water. I would try putting fish in until you get your ammonia down. Good Luck!

Answer 9

I actually have a Python Water Changer and it will sparkling the gravel once you do water ameliorations. And once you end taking water out you may top off the tank. ascertain you upload water conditioners on your tank once you upload new water and additionally ascertain that the temp is close to to an identical temp as that for the duration of your aquarium. I even have 10 aquariums (and could be including greater tanks) so it particularly is a genuine time saver for me.

Answer 10

i vacuum my gravel about once every other week. it keeps the fish waste to a minimum. there is also some thing you can buy that eats waste (its a chemical) but i cannot remember what it is called.