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Thread: hi new to this hobby, help me please

  1. #1
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    hi new to this hobby, help me please

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    hi as i search the forum and i see alot of planted tanks, soil with lots of plants in it.. how do u guys clean up the tank? example fish waste that is at the bottom of the soil? do u guys just leave the gravel untouch when u doing water change? just filter away the water at the top part and add in new water leaving the gravel untouch will the fish waste dissolve over some time?

    sorry for my bad english, hope u guys understand

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    I use a gravel vacuum attachment with a siphon tube to keep the gravel clean. It is necessary to do this when you have the time, to prevent the gunk from collecting in the gravel bed. This is not that necessary if your layer of gravel/substrate is not very thick, i.e. 1cm or so, but advisable for deeper gravel beds.

    This is what I use:


    Image from www.arcatapet.com

    Only cost me $8 and it works like a charm.
    Fish.. Simply Irresistable
    Back to Killies... slowly.

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    I'm new to planted aquariums as well. I use a gravel vacuum to clean my tank right now but, I worry that when I do have plants using the vac will end up uprooting them. Is that a problem in heavily planted tanks?

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Other way you can use undergravel filter for heavily planted tanks

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    When changing water, just take 1/4 water from the top.
    I do not touch the gravel or else the water will become cloudy.

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Quote Originally Posted by stormhawk View Post
    I use a gravel vacuum attachment with a siphon tube to keep the gravel clean. It is necessary to do this when you have the time, to prevent the gunk from collecting in the gravel bed. This is not that necessary if your layer of gravel/substrate is not very thick, i.e. 1cm or so, but advisable for deeper gravel beds.

    This is what I use:


    Image from www.arcatapet.com

    Only cost me $8 and it works like a charm.
    Hi Stormhawk,
    Can advice where you gotten the Vacuum?

    Thanks
    Knight

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Knight, Biotope got Siphon also. Cheap Cheap.

    Actually for planted tank, you just have to nimp the soft part of the tube to control the water flow. Yes, the sand/soil will be in a rotating cycle, so what you need to do is to gentlely use your hand to fan off those sand from the leaves. If the plant have shallow roots, you might not want to siphon too deep.

    I was taught by Stormy to use siphon too, but I figured the flow control way. Too much nimbling also will cause damage to the siphon. If you buy the hard plastic tubes one, you might find nimbling a difficult task to do.

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Quote Originally Posted by Blue Whale View Post
    Knight, Biotope got Siphon also. Cheap Cheap.

    Actually for planted tank, you just have to nimp the soft part of the tube to control the water flow. Yes, the sand/soil will be in a rotating cycle, so what you need to do is to gentlely use your hand to fan off those sand from the leaves. If the plant have shallow roots, you might not want to siphon too deep.

    I was taught by Stormy to use siphon too, but I figured the flow control way. Too much nimbling also will cause damage to the siphon. If you buy the hard plastic tubes one, you might find nimbling a difficult task to do.
    Hi Blue Whale,
    Many thanks for the advice. Apparently I am using a DIY to do the job, unfortunately I don't think that it cleans much. Therefore though of purchasing 1.

    Now what I did, I am using a ballon stick come with a hole. Fix it on a air tube (CO2 Tubbing). Suction is good, however at time the gravel tend to choke up the pipe. Hm... come to think of it maybe I can perfect my DIY .

    Cheers
    Knight

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    For DIY, my little knight,

    You can connect a tube to a half cut 250ml/500ml small bottle. At the mouth, you can have some kinda roundish filter to prevent sucking too big a stuff, or a green net. The other end, you can have another 500ml, tube towards the bottom of the bottle. (For pressing, so you don't have to suck). You will need to silicone the bottle bottom however.

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Quote Originally Posted by BL1 View Post
    I'm new to planted aquariums as well. I use a gravel vacuum to clean my tank right now but, I worry that when I do have plants using the vac will end up uprooting them. Is that a problem in heavily planted tanks?
    Just wondering if the vacuum would suck the shrimps or the shrimp's eggs?

  11. #11
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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    By the way bettafantastic, shrimp egg is being carry by his mother. i think u mean the shrimplet. baby shrimp.

  12. #12
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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Quote Originally Posted by knight View Post
    Hi Blue Whale,
    Many thanks for the advice. Apparently I am using a DIY to do the job, unfortunately I don't think that it cleans much. Therefore though of purchasing 1.

    Now what I did, I am using a ballon stick come with a hole. Fix it on a air tube (CO2 Tubbing). Suction is good, however at time the gravel tend to choke up the pipe. Hm... come to think of it maybe I can perfect my DIY .

    Cheers
    Knight
    I at 576, where are you actually?

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Quote Originally Posted by Blue Whale View Post
    I at 576, where are you actually?
    So you are at Admiralty, me at Blk 340, Woodlands Ave 1.

    Cheers
    Knight

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Wow, quite close to Biotope, walking distance.

    Actually I am between the Woodlands and Adm. MRT at the border of woodlands facing Gambas. If not how the temp. drop so much at night. It's windy here as well.

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Is it advisable to use underwater gravel for planted tank? I read somewhere that the fertilizer in the gravel will be sucked into the bottom and return to the water if use underwater gravel. Then the water will turn green and cloudy.

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    if you have fishes in planted tank, make sure they are small ones. then not much waste. Anyway the waste from the fish is used by the plants for fertilizer. To keep the water clear, use a external canister filter system. this is my 2-cents worth of advice.

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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Hmm, I see you are at the cross road at the moment.

    =) can I interest you to read some basics?
    http://www.aquajournal.net/na/basics/basics_01.html

    Left top side continues the basic if you are interested to read further. After learning the relationships, you should be able to see the picture better.

  18. #18
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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    will using the siphon cause the water to be murky? actually for my case just pouring water too fast form the top will cause enough force to move the gravel and i can instantly see the smoky cloud..

  19. #19
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    Re: hi new to this hobby, help me please

    Plastic siphon:

    Right hander: (Left hander just switch sides)
    Right hand on the cup controlling the head. left hand do tube squeeze to control the flow after you have pumped and water is flowing downwards. Squeeze too hard and the plastic will give way so you need to practise it. In controlled manner, it does not even cloud the water.

    You basically DO NOT pour water in until about 50% to 60% of tank is filled. You can use a small cup or mug to gently tilt the water in close to water surface, this way there is no disturbance. Of course your filter should be off at this stage. Once you know "pouring" does not disturb the bottom then you do direct pouring but with your hand holding the bottom of that pail. You do not want to lean against the glass which weakens the tank integrity, thus risking a leaking tank. Going to be nightmare if you have one.

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