Gravel Cleaning

"dc" wrote in message
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Köi-Lö $##$$@$##$$.#$$ wrote in
:

Some people claim toxic gasses accumulate in the gravel, especially if
no live plant roots are running through it. I do have live plants in

The toxic gasses arise from some types of anaerobic bacteria. It is not
especially common, but it is a potential problem if you have a very dirty
or very deep gravel bed. Using gravel heating cables will generate a
natural rising water flow and prevent the development of these gasses.


To my knowledge I haven't had any of these toxic gas problems. I don't have
very deep gravel in my tanks and do vac it regularly. All the gravel in my
tanks are full of plant roots which may also be helping. I read about
heating cables but they're too darned expensive.
--
KL....
Frugal ponding since 1995.
My Pond & Aquarium Pages:
http://tinyurl.com/9do58
http://www.ganesha.org/ptb/hipcrime.html
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Köi-Lö $##$$@$##$$.#$$ wrote in
:


To my knowledge I haven't had any of these toxic gas problems. I

For the gasses to become a problem they not only need to be produced in
significant quantities, but they also need to remain trapped in the
substrate were they may dissolve into the water table were they may poison
the animals living therein.

Köi-Lö $##$$@$##$$.#$$ wrote in
:


"atomweaver" wrote in message
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When you feed, does any food make it to the substrate, and/or go
uneaten? If you agitate the gravel, does detritus get stirred up into
the water column? 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.

==================
I've done the entire bottom at the same time and checked for ammonia
several times in the next 48 hours - there was none. The bacteria
"stick" to the gravel and are not easily removed from it. They're
also all over everything in the tank.

I was being a bit conservative, as this is a 5 gallon tank. Stirring up
100% of the settled detritus with each water change seemed like a bad idea,
given the small water volume *shrug* You're probably right... in my own
10 gallon tanks, I vacuum 100% of the gravel with every water change.

DaveZ
Atom Weaver