For today we are talking about how to vacuum a planted tank. In this article we are going to talk a few steps about this. I have really struggled to find the right care and cleanser for years. After a lot of trial and error, I figured out all the dos and don’ts, and I’m sure I’ll share them with you. Use a gravel vacuum to remove debris between plants without uprooting. After the water level drops, prune the plants and remove unhealthy or dead plant parts. If necessary, you can add the root tab during the cleaning process. The short answer seems simple and a small task, but it is not all. Different plants require different pruning methods and some even require replanting.
How to vacuum a planted tank – Use a gravel cleaner
Before we go in, we need to lower the water level. It is best to use a gravel cleaner for this, as this allows the flow from the syphon to be used to remove fish waste or other debris. If the aquarium you planted is new, you should be careful with it. More consistent use of the gravel cleaner will certainly root out the new plants.
It makes sense to turn off tank equipment as much as possible. By temporarily disabling the filter, you ensure that it does not suck in air if the water level drops below the inlet. As soon as the water level in the aquarium drops below the thermostat, the heater starts to overheat, so you should turn it off. When the heater is surrounded by air, it tries to bring the air temperature to tropical level and starts smoking.
All power heads and all CO2 sources should also be turned off. If you can keep the power up, it will help. Dirt or other unpleasant substances are suspended in the stream rather than settling in the soil.
The final step
This step distinguishes “regular” maintenance from maintaining a planted aquarium. Honestly, I wrote a complete aquarium cleaning guide, which you can read here. However, the planted tank is different. If your plants are happy, they will grow quickly, and you should try to keep up.
Stem plants have been known to reach the top of the aquarium within a week if all care requirements are met. They are also easy to walk through. You can use regular kitchen shears or fancy scissors. I can say from experience that these tools are very pleasant to use and make the job easier.
There are two ways to prune stem plants. In the first option, cut off the top of the stem of the plant and leave the rest as it is. The second option takes more time, but is more beautiful: cut the top, remove the bottom of the tank and put the top panel back in place. With the second method, you cannot see where you are cutting the plant.
Other plants that spread by stolons, such as B. Vallisneria or the smaller Echinodorus species, can outgrow your tank if you let them. When cleaning an aquarium with plants, check if the plants are spread in unwanted places. If so, cut the stolon and transplant or donate it. If you grow carpet plants that cover the entire bottom of the aquarium, they should also be cut. For this. These sets contain special curved scissors. The curve makes it easy to cut any rug.
How to vacuum a planted tank this was today’s article. we hope that this explanation will help you. See you soon with a new one.Read more How to raise phosphates in reef tank