# Cleaning a heavily planted tank



## able_ranui (Feb 26, 2004)

Hi
I do a water change once a week and have yet to figure out how to vacuum the gravel in a heavily planted tank. Do you just leave it or just get the areas you can? My weekly routine includes adding ferts, pruning, algae scrapping off the front glass and the water change. Any body else do something more?


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

I just try to get what I can once a week before a water change.


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## aquoi (Mar 21, 2004)

I do a trim. Use a net to remove the floating leaves. Using a razor, I'll scrape the glass algae off, then siphon the remaining stuff out. at the same time i will agitate the water above the substrate to kick up the dirt to remove them. Then changew water and fertilise.


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## yildirim (Nov 25, 2004)

I never disturb the gravel if I'm not adding or removing plants. I just siphon the visible dirt and debris with a 1cm diameter tube (the tip of the tube is bent app 45degrees 2cm from the tip for reaching some narrow places). I make the trimming and replanting after I empty 30-40% of the water (which is my weekly water change amount) on WC day. This way it is less messy and easy.

YILDIRIM


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## azn_fishy55 (Jan 6, 2006)

For me,I first trim and clean the glass.Then since I had a a sand substrate I would mix up the top layer then vaccum out all the debris.Then I dose ferts depending how much water I changed.HTH


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