Thank you for all your replies. I guess vacuming the gravel once a month
will do it.

"atomweaver" wrote in message
...
"D P" wrote in :

I have a 5 gallon aquarium with about 1 inch of gravel and 6 tropical
fishes (1Guppy, 1platy and 4 small neon), and only have plastic
plants. I have a filter that hangs ou side the aquarium, with carbon
and sponge in it. I do weekly 20% water change. I want to know is it
absolutely necessary to clean the gravel in this aquarium? And if so
how often it should be done?


When you feed, does any food make it to the substrate, and/or go uneaten?
NO

If you agitate the gravel, does detritus get stirred up into the water
column?
YES

You don't have any bottom feeders in there, so no cleanup crew for
your mid- and top-feeder's leftovers... I'd vacuum the gravel, covering
half of the bottom at a time, when changing the water.

DaveZ
AW