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Vacuuming substrate- yes or no?


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Hello everyone,

I've been wondering for a while- is vacuuming the substrate helpful in keeping nitrates low and shrimps healthy?  My shrimps in planted tanks poop a lot and I always try to clean it up weekly, but I wonder if it is normal practice in the hobby with so many types of substrates  used.  It probably is practical in some but not in others. Comments are much appreciated!

 

Auratus

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I made my own micro substrate vacuum using a 2 gallon milk jug and some airline tubing, Then I use tweezers to guide the airline tubing and just stick it in different parts of the substrate so i don't suck up babies, and I always see a bunch of brown "muck" get sucked out. I like to believe that I've removing some nasties the shrimps don't want in there.

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the gunk and stagnant pockets. Shrimp go crazy for the turned over substrate their bimonthly highlight and seems to work a dream. 

 

I always leave the white bucket with the waste to settle and using a headlamp on the floor shining through the side remove any shrimplets..

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I've been using a reef feeder (like a turkey baster) to suck out junk.What to you use to create the vacuum on the airline tube? Sounds like a good method.

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I made my own micro substrate vacuum using a 2 gallon milk jug and some airline tubing, Then I use tweezers to guide the airline tubing and just stick it in different parts of the substrate so i don't suck up babies, and I always see a bunch of brown "muck" get sucked out. I like to believe that I've removing some nasties the shrimps don't want in there.

Would you post a video on that?


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19 minutes ago, Bella said:


Would you post a video on that?


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Hi Bella,

 

I'm doing my water changes on Monday, I'll try my best do demonstrate how I do it!

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On 5/13/2017 at 0:35 PM, Bella said:


Would you post a video on that?


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Hi Bella,

No video but I do have photos.

Here is the DIY Vacuum, not pretty but works great!

IMG_1244.JPG.47383c6c1097318f645b89a7beabf1cd.JPG

1. I hold the soft airline tubing with tweezers to guide them around the tank.

IMG_1246.JPG.51771f81ae57dd1beea79a2c69769bd0.JPG

2. I use my other hand to pinch a bend in the airline tubing so I can stop the flow whenever I want.

IMG_1249.JPG.610450e25506a5cd1008c1ed481529f1.JPG

3. I basically spot clean my substrate by stopping/starting the flow after inserting the tubing into the substrate about 0.5 inches - 0.75 inches deep and starting the flow sucking out all the "muck" and detritus. I purposely used clear tubing at the end so i could see all the "muck" being sucked out, and simply move onto another spot once the water is coming out clear.

IMG_1253.JPG.5c1b519dd196a94b7732caaf8f7b9ca9.JPG

As you can see I am vacuuming right next to a baby but it is undisturbed because I slowly put the airline tubing into the substrate and started the flow again after the tube was not going to suck up the babies!

 

Hope this helps!

 

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24 minutes ago, bostoneric said:

cool idea. maybe get the hard air line and like could be even easier. 

Lol, yeah I used what I had, and i kind of like having the hardline in there so I can adjust the length of the tube when i use it to vacuum my other tanks which are on much lower racks..

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