Reply With QuoteI dun clean my gravel. But I used to throw lotsa Malayan trumpet snails to try aerate the gravel but now i use coolie loaches cos my clown loaches are eating up the snails.
Is there a need to clear the gravel of a planted tank. I could see lots of sh*ts in it but is there a need to clear those? How do you guys do it, esp. with all those plants around?
I dun clean my gravel. But I used to throw lotsa Malayan trumpet snails to try aerate the gravel but now i use coolie loaches cos my clown loaches are eating up the snails.
siphoning... I oso used a gravel cleaner the last time.. but its battery operated and not that good if the water level is too low
Thanks guys!
those battery operated gravel cleaner can be quite costly.. u can consider the gravel cleaner by SERA.. and u dun have to worry abt the water level.. alternatively, u can DIY it yourself.. just use a rubber hose and attach a 1.5l bottle with the base cut off, to it.. []
Let us work together to preserve the world for our children to inherit by being responsible to our surroundings. Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, bubbles and memories.
err how about those $5 type operated by a handpump that people use to change water ? it has a bottle like inlet and if you want to trp the gravel, can use a net at the outlet.
Peter, I bought a Gravel cleaner (S10-15 only). Which I think works quite well.
It has about 3cm cylindrical opening with a flow control on the top.
It works by sucking up the water thru'shaking for the 1st time. Then Poke the cylindrical pipe into the gravel while controlling the flow.
The gravel will be sucked up one-third or half-way the pipe and starts rotating inside. Tremendously amount of dirts are sucked out this way.
To get those Dirts below the UG Platem if u use them, just poke it through the gravel and rest on the Plate.
Cheer !
I don't clear them. The plants seem to grow better when the mulm accumulates at their base.----------------
On 7/13/2002 9:46:25 PM
Is there a need to clear the gravel of a planted tank. I could see lots of sh*ts in it but is there a need to clear those? How do you guys do it, esp. with all those plants around?
----------------
koah fong
Juggler's tanks
I always siphoning the gravel during water change (similar to Simon's idea).
Agreed. But if not for those balls of bba which prevent my glosso from growing properly, i wouldn't bother with gravel cleaning. i've to take the blame for using feritilizer sticks for my glosso. the sticks disintegrate and make the gravel ultra rich ... this even the algae problem. not sure if i want to try glosso again as it's back breaking business planting them. looking around for foreground/carpet plant ....
i bought a batt operated gravel cleaner 3 mnths back.NO DELAY! jus grab and pay...ehhehehhee...gues the $$$.REALLY WORTH IT! but now saw very expensive..AQUAPET selln at $37 ,,yikes..
How about keeping a few corydoras and kuhli loach?
I have a few of them and they helped to stir up the surface of the gravel by digging their nose into them. Then the filter will take over!
With them around, I dun really see much dirt at the surface of my gravel except for those that are hidden/trapped under those rocks...
NinjaFly
My fish hobby site
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks