# What is the best way to keep debri from collecting in your plants?



## giddetm (Apr 30, 2011)

I have a few tanks that have Java moss and riccia in them and I have to get in there and shake them like a rug to knock the debri out of them. I have seen pics of the show tanks and how pristine they look. What is the best way to keep the debri from collecting? I am afraid to use a gravel vac, I would probably vacuum evre up trying to get the stuff out.ything else


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## Rennuke (Oct 8, 2011)

I don't know much about plants but I'm interested in adding some so I'd like to see how people respond to this. By the why I don't know if it would make TO much difrents but are you referring t olive or artificial plants ?


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## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

I have a fairly well planted tank, same problem though. I do use a gravel vac (a very gentle one, just airline tubing) but I still have debris piling up too.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Hover above it about an inch or 2 then use other hand to kind of move it around


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Good luck. Show tanks don't stay in show form for very long. Everybody does an extra special job of cleaning bfore they take pics. Moss collects everything.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

The pristine look of the show tanks require a tremedous amount of work.

But for you daily use tank I have a little secret for keeping debris off plants.






ta da




add fish. *old dude



my .02


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

You could create an army of shrimp, snails, and other bottom dwellers in your tank, which is what many of us medium-skilled tank keepers use. I'm pretty sure Amano shrimp or some other type of shrimp usually inhabit most show tanks (I know they do in the show tanks of my local fish store). Shrimp totally dig moss, and Red Cherry Shrimp are not only great scavengers (though you need a LOT of them), but they are really cool to watch and breed like rabbits.


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## Kehy (Apr 19, 2011)

I would love to get more fish and shrimp...but too bad i have a betta that thinks anything living in his tank is fair game. Might try another amano shrimp though


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## giddetm (Apr 30, 2011)

Thanks for all the responses, I will try all of them and see what works best for me. So far I have put my hand under the moss and lifted it up and down enough to get the debri floating again and the filter pics it up. I think I will buy a 350 Magnum and hook a gravel vac to the intake and run the return hose back to the tank, that would be easier to clean out than my FX is. I have not done any water changes and the Nitrates are staying at 10 ppm so the plants are doing a pretty good job since I have close to 100" of fish in there.


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## Donald Hansen (Jan 21, 2011)

giddetm said:


> I think I will buy a 350 Magnum and hook a gravel vac to the intake and run the return hose back to the tank, that would be easier to clean out than my FX is.


I've been thinking of doing something like that. What made you choose the 350 Magnum?

DLH


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## giddetm (Apr 30, 2011)

Because they are small and you can put the inline shutoffs on them to cut down on the mess. Do you have a different idea?


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## Donald Hansen (Jan 21, 2011)

giddetm said:


> Because they are small and you can put the inline shutoffs on them to cut down on the mess. Do you have a different idea?


Not now, I don't!

I wanted something that I could use to vacuum dirt from the bottom of the tank without losing any water. I looked at those hand and battery operated ones and didn't like them. I was going to try and build something from parts because I didn't think there would be anything for sale that could be easily converted to do what I want. I did a Google on the 350 Magnum family of filters and it appears to be exactly what I want.

Thanks for the info.

DLH


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## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Don't use the quick disconnect shutoff valves in place of turning the Magnum 350 off - if you cut off the inlet with those valves, it will cause the impeller to either stall or airlock, and you stand a very good chance of ruining the motor if you do that. The quick disconnect valves are there for AFTER the filter is turned off so you can, well, quickly disconnect it.


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