Should You Gravel Vac?

by **yasherkoach** » Sat Nov 01, 2008 7:08 am

here's a poll:

if you vote "yes" you believe that vacuuming the gravel is the golden rule
if you vote "no" you believe too (especially after reading my other post: Gravel Vac...Not) that it is some kind of sham

be real...when's the last time a river or the ocean was vacuumed?

by **doomydarkdoom** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 7:07 pm

The river and ocean are also infinitely more complex than our aquarium... there are so many external factors that are just impossible to duplicate in the average aquarium, and they definitely affect something like that. In a river or ocean, things are constantly being turned and tossed, rocks rolling around, MANY different species crawling around and overturning things... and the constant flow of water is enough to ensure that most surface stuff in the substrate is long gone. Aquariums are fairly tame as far as currents go, even with powerheads, because the walls only allow for certain eddies and whatnot. That's just what I can think of off the top of my head.

I don't gravel-vac often, but I think it's important to do maybe once every six months. And I don't gravel-vac EVERYTHING out. I just poke around until the dramatically dirty stuff is out, then leave the rest.

by **a1k8t31524** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 8:38 pm

i say yes.....
and rivers and oceans are massive bodies of water and a river in particular is constantly being renewed with new water manytimes a day i think if you had a billion gallon aquarium or did 100% water changes 5 or 6 times a day you could get away with never doing a gravel vac.

by **yasherkoach** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 8:58 pm

I agree that the oceans or river constantly change with the water flow, that is, turning debris over or rocks over, therefore, stirring the base. I agree.

But why is it, if you read my other post, Gravel Vac...Not, that after over 6 months, all my water tests or parameters are fine, and I did not vacuum once, all is fine?

I'll tell you the little secret to not vacuuming the gravel:

trumpet snails, live plants and good bacteria

trumpet snails burrow throughout the gravel, constantly turning it...the good bacteria feed off of the excess debris and the plant roots constantly filter through the gravel with their roots

I will guarantee that if you have trumpet snails, good bacteria and live plants, there is absolutely no reason to gravel vac

to be blunt, to vacuum is not only a complete waste of time, but Python and companies like them (unless hoses are used for water changes) have "shammed" us to death with this concept of gravel vac

still, thanks for your comments. I agree with both your statements...but there is a way around not vacuuming, and I explained the secret

read my other post: Gravel Vac...Not

thanks & good day

by **doomydarkdoom** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 9:50 pm

Hey, if you have a good bioload balance in your tank, more power to you. I need more bottom-feeders and cleaners in my tanks, so I vacuum once in a while. Every six months, like I said. But it is pretty over-hyped... vacuuming too much probably ruins the tank's cycle.

by **dawgtrain** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 3:51 am

I vacume as a water change procedure........am I a bad fish parent? My tank is 110 gal fresh with plants and I take out approx 2 kitchen trash cans per water change every week to week and 1/2.....oh boy??? not good.....my water is good !!!

by **miami754** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:05 am

I wouldn't call it a sham. That's a bit extreme. You are probably doing ok because you have things sifting through your substrate (not a secret by the way - lots of people do this). In essence, you are just replacing the vacuuming with something else. Niether way can be called a sham - it's just two different methods of doing the same thing. Debris will build up in your substrate over time and somehow it needs to be removed. Now whether you use snails and other means or whether you use vacuuming makes no difference, but you need to do something.

Also, the substrate you have makes a huge difference. Sand traps debris on top of it so vacuuming is not as essential if you have good water currents. However, if you use large-sized gravel, this is a different story.

Also, most people in the hobby way overfeed so advocating not vacuuming is like putting a time bomb on their tanks.

Overall, use whatever works. To state that vacuuming has been pushed on us as some kind of scam seems a little absurd, but to each their own.

I personally vacuum once a month as my cichlids are pretty messy, I have large-sized gravel as substrate, and I don't want live plants/snails in my tank. That's just me though. If your tank is working for you then congrats as well.

by **miami754** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 6:09 am

Dawgtrain - you are fine. Personally I wouldn't vacuum every time. The best solution (and one that many people use) is to vacuum half the tank with each water change (assuming you are changing water every 1-1.5 weeks). That way, you are never completely knocking out the bacteria, but still making sure your substrate is nice and clean.

If your parameters are good then you are fine. Some people will claim that excessive vacuuming will kill your bacteria and cause you to mini-cycle, but I have never seen this in my tanks and I used to vacuum on a two week basis (now I vacuum once a month). If I were you, I would vacuum half the tank per water change and if you are worried then run some test after the vacuuming toknow for sure how you are impacting the tank. That's the surest way.

by **dawgtrain** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 1:42 pm

miami good idea : ) less work too, I'll give it a shot in the next few weeks. Thanks

by **ChristinaBug2890** » Mon Nov 03, 2008 1:42 pm

I like to vacuum my gravel. I dont do it to the extreem though. I havnt got anything turning over my gravel constantly and my fish are slobs. Theres always gunk there. I have a friend who didnt vacuum her tank EVER for 2 years and water params and fish were all fine until she stirred it up....I dont think i'd have a chance without my trusty vacuum.

Should You Gravel Vac?

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Gravel Vacuum?