sand with plants

ollecram

so i have everything set up nicely, the plants are growing, the sand is clean, and all is going fine. But when tomorrow comes and i have to clean my tank, how will i stir my sand with my plastic fork if there are plants all over the bottom? I have 2 pomacea bridgesii and i think i remember hearing somewhere that if i have snails, they stir the sand for me, but i don't think they two snail can stir my entire 29 gal. do i still have to stir the sand since i have plants? if so, then how do i do it with all the plants on the way? thanks

Rohland

Well remember there will be some gas exchanged from the roots of the plants which will stop those areas from turning into dead zones. I would just gently stir where no roots are. Its hard though. A few roots always are uprooted.

aunt kymmie

I do exactly as Rohland does. :)

Byron

And on the snails issue, that refers to the Malaysian livebearer snail. They are excellent at working through the substrate, helping to keep it loose and clean. I have them in my tanks. They are quite distinctive, shaped like a "horn of plenty". Many view them as a good addition to an aquarium.

Byron.

cerianthus

Dont know about any gas exchanges thru roots (do know gas exchange thru leaves vis photosynthesis). but Do know such dead zone can occur depending on thickness of sand.

One simple way which I find most effective to ensure no dead zone was to add heat pad used to vivarium (reptile) which is applied outside of bottom glass. If can have temp control (water sensor and thermostat where heat pad is plug in, this will generate heat from bottom instead of heater in the tank. Well,
warm wate/air always rises, thus you have contant circulation thru sand w/o any physical disturbances.
Just make sure temp does not go too low at any one given time otherwise the roots would be cooked.

Heating thru this method would take longer than common heater in the tank

MoneyMitch

how big are these guys and would you recommend them with african cichlids I.E yellow labs, johanni and livingstoni?

aunt kymmie

They are teeny tiny, as far as snails go. The biggest one I have looks to be just under just an inch. MTS stay tucked away during the day and come to life once the tank lights go off. I wouldn't think your fish would bother with them.

MoneyMitch

only reason i ask is b/c i had hitch hiker snails ride in on a sword i got and they got gobbled up in not even a day.

Fishin Pole

Mitch, if your cichlids see them, they will eat them.............i feed some of the pest snails from my other tanks to my africans, and they usually dont hit the substrate till they are eaten

Angel079

I was wondering how the sand cleaning is going for ya?