I have to use a gravel vac in my African cichlid tank! They are so gross! I have 2 filters running and still when they get wound up and dig in the sand they send crap flying everywhere!!

I vacuum each tank when I clean on a weekly basis. I have sand so I only skim the surface as I clean to remove poop and stuff. If I didn't it would be gross to look at.

I don't have snails and cannot have the cute cories in any tank because my bottom dwelling cichlids in each tank would not tolerate them.

I just use the vacuum on my python and suck up the crud, then refill with it too. So much easier!!

I figure if more people applied the methods I am using it will prove there is no need for vacuuming

nevertheless, I understand and completely agree with you that there must be some form of "vacuuming" going on. I went with snails and others go with hoses. I just prefer to take this hobby as natural as I possibly can

I figure a living being ni the tank wants it as natural as possible. It's bad enough I must stick a hose in the tank to take out 9 gallons on Monday then 9 gallons on Thursday. I feel like I am practically intruding in on their privacy. It may sound a little absurd, but it's the way I look at it.

The only thing I have artificial in the tank is the red maple vine (for the fry), but as the java moss takes over the right side of the tank, I will remove the artificial vine and replace it with other live plants.

All I am saying is, if we as fish hobbyists can mimick nature as close as we can, the fish, invertebrates, live plants, etc will all be for the better.

One last thing, on the right side of the tank I have absolutely no aeration or completely still water...on the left side of the tank I have a river-like movement of the water, I have 12 air stones, bundled together behind malaysian wood...the danios and tetras love swimming throughout the waves as opposed to the platies and frogs that love the still waters.

I want what is best for the fish, I am here for them. If they are happy I am happy. Our fish and its aquascape is a partnership. So if we can not disturb their world by not vacuuming but instead do the "vacuuming" the natural way via snails, I say do it.

but like you said, to each his own...so it's cool

Yes, must clean gravel . Over time , all that gunk in gravel will start to breakdown, and effect water quality.

well for those who are dead set on vacuuming a planted tank you can use a very thin small long narrow vacuum plastic tube to get to the gravel without disturbing the plant roots or the planst themselves...BUT I FROWN AGAINST VACUUMING

well thanks natalie for your "no" - another fin in my cap - I tried to post the following wekks ago but I was bumped offline so I will now try again as to answer those who believe I have no argument when it comes to not vacumming

For last 6 months Oxygen level at 8.3 ppm, PH stead at 7.2, Hardness at 80, Alkalinity at 120, Nitrite at 0, Nitrate between 5-25, mostly at 15, and Ammonia at 0. Temperature levels from 78-84, usually at 82.

Two 200 gph filters for a 55 gallon tank; one heater at a steady temperature of 78 throughout the year; water change on Monday (9 gallons) and Thursday (9 gallons) with every Monday I add 2 Tablespoons of aquarium salt. There is a plant bulb on the left side for the live plants and a regular florescent bulb on the right for java moss (low light). I have created a 12 bundled air stone areation system in the corner of the tank behind a piece of driftwood to create surface agitation for plentiful oxygen throughout the tank plus the danios and tetras like the flow; the other side of the tank is absolutely still creating a "lake" for the platies, frogs and ghost shrimp etc. Also I created (from a vacuum tube - I no longer need it for vacuuming) a feeding tube that is let into the tank, held in place via a piece of sandstone, so I can feed the african dwarf frogs frozen foods straight to the bottom of the tank.

And now the ultimate in breakdown:

-- trumpet snails stir the gravel, constantly burrowing throughout the gravel, turning it over, cleaning the gravel of its debris
-- ghost shrimp eat any detrius and foods that the fish does not eat when fed fish flakes at the water surface
-- olive nerite snails constantly clean the driftwood, plant leaves, glass
-- otocinclus catfish constantly graze over the rocks, driftwood and glass for algae
-- african dawrf frogs, believe it or not, for I have caught them doing it, devour any dead fish, will keep the fry poulation down and are excellent cleaners when the lights go out
-- fish poop naturally feed the live plants or fertilizers the plants

and all this without vacuuming

the key to this issue is plenty oxygen supply, snails that burrow, no overfeeding (every Sunday I fast my fish, and every other 3 weeks, I put my fish and the rest on a 3 day fast, it cleans their insides or intestines out), and plenty water changes will prove not one vacuuming is needed

of course the above paragraph (oxygen supply, trumpet snails, no overfeeding and water chagnes) must be performed on a regular basis; to not vacuum one must make up for it in other ways, one must not be lazy - people think if one does not vacuum one is lazy, to the contrary, to create a natural ecosystem, and on a continuous basis, is far more wiser than sticking a plastic tube into the tank and disturbing the inhabitants

I am sure most will disagree - as one can tell the poll is against my way of choosing...and this is cool, to each their own - but I have found, in life, one must, within reason, take risks, I have taken the t=rish not to vacuum with the above-mentioned precautions, and I have found, there is absolutely no reason to vacuum.

by the way, you can control the population of the trumpet snail...the more overfeeding the snails yet the burrowing of the gravel...so it is wiser to keep a steady growth of these little guys with less feeding and still have the gravel "vacuumed" or burrowed

ahhhhhhhhhhhh...nothing beats the old fashion natural way.

Happy Fishing!

yasherkoach-
i just read your last post now

i actually think you do a good job--or-it sound that way to me
but it wont work for me
I also tried to set up a tank for minimum input from me--and being a bio freak like me-it helped in getting an understanding of the chemistry thats needed

just as another thought
do you have filters that trap floating dirt thatt you regularly clean?
and-do you just have platies, tetras and danios in your tank?
and may i ask how many of each you have?
and what type of filters you have

i hope its not too many questions, but i really am curious as to your set up!!
thanks