To carpet, or not to carpet, that is the question

[hopeful1]

With daily vacuuming it is easy to gravel vacuum daily, which means less nitrates, and maybe less water changes.

If you carpet it looks cool but inevitably stuff is going to fall between the grasses make it hard to vacuum, but the grasses absorb a lot of the food and waste.

What is the best approach for tank long term stability? I have plants but no carpet so far.

 

[Patrick_G]

I added some extra flow with a powerhead so very little seems to get stuck in the low plants. Four months and no need to vac. 

Edited August 19, 2021 by Patrick_G
Edited to note that the powerhead with sponge filters is pretty ugly but small ones exsist

[hopeful1]

Nice looking tank. 

In the Bay Area there is a guy selling eco-fish bowls, that are fully planted. They have some guppies. They say you don't need to do anything to take care of them? They are expensive. Do you have some cleaner fish or snails? Is that a 20 gallon tank?

[Patrick_G]

On 8/19/2021 at 1:23 PM, hopeful1 said:

Nice looking tank. 

In the Bay Area there is a guy selling eco-fish bowls, that are fully planted. They have some guppies. They say you don't need to do anything to take care of them? They are expensive. Do you have some cleaner fish or snails? Is that a 20 gallon tank?

It’s a 75 gallon with Otocinclus, Amano Shrimp and Panda Corydoras as cleaners. 
@Beardedbillygoat1975 is the resident bowl expert. I’m sure he’ll be happy to tell you how “easy” they are. 

[hopeful1]

Wow you have some wonderful cleaners!!!!!!!  How are the Pandas holding up?

What are your bigger fish?

How many active tanks do you have?

 

[Patrick_G]

On 8/19/2021 at 1:38 PM, hopeful1 said:

Wow you have some wonderful cleaners!!!!!!!  How are the Pandas holding up?

What are your bigger fish?

How many active tanks do you have?

 

The Pandas seem to be doing great so far. A trio of Swordtails are my biggest fish, but I also have Cherry Barbs, and a bunch of different Nano fish. The smaller the fish the more species I can keep! Right now we have four tanks with fish a guppy tub a gold fish patio pond and a few containers with just plants or snails.