[mwarsell]

I mean...that I have a lots of young plants and if I siphon the gravel I will just uproot them and they will have no chance to grow. I've decided that next time I do a water change I will not touch the gravel - just siphon the water "mid-air".

So, what is a good (biological) way to keep gravel clean? Snails (malaysian trumpet?) Corys?

I have a sewellia lineolata, he is doing some of this gravel cleaning business, but I'm prefer a some more action there.

My substrate is Eco Complete Black (not the fine sand one, but the next one, small pebbles, not that sharp-looking).

 

[Boredomb]

Gravel siphoning is the best way to do it. Just siphon as close to the gravel and plants that you can. Once the plants establish it won't be a problem to touch them with it as they will be rooted good. Till then just hover as close as you can to them and try to suck up as much as you can without uprooting then plants. Get the gravel as clean as you can where there is no plants. MTS always help get where you can't soo those won't hurt.

 

[mwarsell]

Thank you, Boredomb. You are golden.

 

[Boredomb]

Your welcome! Some will disagree here but I always vacuum in planted tanks. Going around the plants to get to the substrate where I can and through the plants to get the substrate without damaging the plants. Where there is no plants I will push the siphon into the substrate to get more if there is any debris out.

 

[mwarsell]

What about Cherry shrimp? Will they help me in keeping the gravel clean(er)?
Will a rather sizeable apisto borellii male eat the shrimp?

 

[rexpepper651]

i vac my substrate too. i dont see why not. one tank has root tabs and one has dirt. both get ferts too. no need for extra poop laying.