# Those of you with heavily planted tanks



## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

Hey guys,
New here... just a quick question for those of you with heavily planted tanks.
How in the world do you guys clean the gravel? Or do you need to clean it at all with a heavily planted tank? I mean heavy, as in some parts of the substrate you can't even see the gravel because it's all covered up by plants.

I've got 5 or 6 plants in my 29 gallon tank but i think a lot more plants will do my tank a lot of good. Plus semi-heavily plants look really good i think.

Thanks for the advice in advance and i look forward to being a regular poster here. :fun: 

thanks
Aaron


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

A part of my tank is heavily planted and I just don't vacuum deep there.


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

maxpayne_lhp said:


> A part of my tank is heavily planted and I just don't vacuum deep there.


Vavuum deep? Well... unless you actually pull up the plants everytime you clean your tank.
How do you actually vacuum the gravel at all? I mean i figure with a heavily planted tank it'd probably take hours to unplant and replant everything. You'd probably end up with some damage to the plants too.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

I just don't vacuum the planted parts.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

I said I did not vacuum deep down there. 
By the way (I forgot ) Welcome to Fishforums!


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## Lydia (Feb 6, 2005)

i dont vacuum where the plants are....i have shrimp that help keep it clean where it is heavily planted


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## thapsus (Feb 17, 2005)

I use sand so I don't have to touch the substrate.

3 of my tanks.


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## DavidDoyle (Jan 18, 2005)

Most of my tanks are heavily planted. I find I need to vac the plants more than the gravel, especially the ground covers. For most I use a Hot Magnum with the vacuum attachment. It has a lower flow (suction) than a typical syphon which prevents pulling up plants and, since the water goes back into the tank, I can vacuum as slowly and carefully as I need to. I have 3 different length tubes for the vac- short/medium/long.


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## margo (May 21, 2005)

May I make a suggestion? Just get floating plants. You can actually pull them up from your yard and drop them in the tank. There's a certain type of weed that loves water.


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

maxpayne_lhp said:


> I said I did not vacuum deep down there.
> By the way (I forgot ) Welcome to Fishforums!


Thanks! .


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

MyraVan said:


> I just don't vacuum the planted parts.


THat's a good thought.
So if i had sand as substrate and i planted the rear half with plants and the front half with more of a grasslike substance, i wouldn't really have to vacuum much at all then right?


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## osteoporoosi (Jan 27, 2005)

I also use sand like Thapsus, and I don't have to do anything to it. malaysian trumpet snails stirr the sand for me.


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## MyraVan (Jan 19, 2005)

Alin10123 said:


> THat's a good thought.
> So if i had sand as substrate and i planted the rear half with plants and the front half with more of a grasslike substance, i wouldn't really have to vacuum much at all then right?


That's exactly what I do!


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## margo (May 21, 2005)

The floating plantlife is the ticket. Just stuff the tank with floating plantlife and the fish will love you for it. When there's a lot in there, it goes all the way down to the bottom but floats.The fish love to hide in it. I mean, you can see them, but the other fish can't find them.

It makes for a happier fish tank. Not only does it make the water healthier, it provides a food source and you can have a whole bunch of fish in there because the hiding places is more important to them, not the open water.

On top of that, you can vacuum the heck out of the tank without a problem. 

It can't hurt to try it, folks.


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## Alin10123 (May 22, 2005)

MyraVan said:


> That's exactly what I do!


Sweet!
I'm going to have to try this with my next tank.
I'm thinking 55 gallon +
Then if i have live plants and a sand substrate then my tank should be virtually maintenance free after iv'e cycled and except for bi monthly water changes and filter changes. hehe

BTW, will plants do ok in the sand as a substrate?


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## sumpthinfishy (Jan 21, 2005)

Mine do very well. Fluorite was added to mine before the sand. It's kind of all mixed up now 'cause my dojo loaches like to stir it up for me. Plants seem to love it.

And the fish definitely do.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

> May I make a suggestion? Just get floating plants. You can actually pull them up from your yard and drop them in the tank. There's a certain type of weed that loves water.


Ouch, then we lost the pleasure of the beautiful unremovable plants! 
Well, I see many heavily-planted tanks don't have many fish. So I dun think we need to do much the cleaning. Use sand as subtrate and do regular water changes and it works!


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## thapsus (Feb 17, 2005)

Plants seem to like sand more than gravel. They stay in the bottom much easier than with gravel. Ferts don't escape to water either because sand is "tighter" and you don't have to touch it.


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