Cleaning a planted aquarium

[Neil]

How do you clean a planted aquarium? You cannot disturb the gravel right?

[Daniel]

For me, I use a magnet to remove algae from the front glass. Every once in a while I might do a water change.

[Neil]

Thank You!

[Streetwise]

I try to outsource my glass cleaning to snails, Otocinclus, Corys, Shrimp, etc. Sometimes I will clean for a photo.

As far as substrate related to glass, try to keep from scratching your tank with sand and gravel trapped in your cleaning media. It is really easy to pick up sand with magnetic scrapers. I had this problem more on marine tanks, but the lesson has stayed with me.

Edited January 9, 2021 by Streetwise

[Brandy]

I use a siphon to pick up big chunks of detritus that just looks bad. Such as dead leaves and large noticable poo on sand. I just swirl the siphon gently over the gunk and it lifts up and goes away. I have a lot of water lettuce and hornwort and sometimes it sheds if it was recently moved.

Mostly though, I strategically place rocks and pebbles to hide the stuff. Makes for a good way to hold down root tabs too. I have a razor on a long handle for the glass that I just love, but like @Streetwise I mostly leave it to the snails and otocinclus.

[Neil]

Thank You!