# Substrate cleaning in the planted tank?



## CaysE (May 21, 2006)

I'm used to siphoning the gravel every week or two with a non-planted aquarium, but how is this handled in a planted tank? Do you have to move the plants around or just siphon whatever gravel is showing and leave everything else alone? If you carpet the entire floor, do you have to siphon at all?


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## Schism (Jul 20, 2006)

what i do with my planted tanks is make a current in there and siphon the stirred water most of the nasties will be in the water column itself or just siphon where the plants arent.


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## Guest (Aug 1, 2006)

I agree with schism. Thats what I do is vac the places where there aren't any plants and just swirl the vac around where its heavily planted so that it picks up dead leaves and old food. The plants will use the mulm in the gravel as nutrients so you don't have to worry about doing deep gravel vacs in the planted areas. I vac once a week with my 50% water changes.


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