4 weeks into cycle - ok to gravel vac?

[MattyM]

Hi all, doing a fishless/plant cycle and my tanks are starting to find their balance, which means a lot of dead/dying diatoms and algae, along with some dead plant matter. My gravel is getting gross. The snails are into it and I'm fearing a population explosion with all the available food they have - I've been removing any egg sacks I see.

I did a 20% water change the other week, but did not gravel vac. My nitrites and ammonia are at zero, with nitrates 10-20ppm. 

Is it ok to do a light gravel vac w/o disrupting the BBs that I've just established? Or would it be better to get some amanos on it? (I would like to have amanos once the tank is settled, which seems to be getting close to.)

[Melkor]

As long as you aren't scrubbing the substrate or removing it, I don't see it harming anything.  I would definitely wait on adding shrimp of any sort until you are cycled, and the tank matures some.

Edited August 2, 2022 by Melkor