How to clean planted tank

[smileysid]

Hello all,
I am quite new with planted aquarium, and every time I think of cleaning my tank, I wonder, what should be the best solution to clean/siphon out the debris at the surface of substrate or around plants. As, it is harder to put the siphon near the substrate with plants, and there are good chances of derooting.

Share your method please.

[Somen]

Hello all,
I am quite new with planted aquarium, and every time I think of cleaning my tank, I wonder, what should be the best solution to clean/siphon out the debris at the surface of substrate or around plants. As, it is harder to put the siphon near the substrate with plants, and there are good chances of derooting.

Share your method please.

The glasses can be cleaned by Magnetic scrubber. Water marks can be removed my using an old credit card.
The debris can be siphoned off gently with care.The siphon should not be put in the substrate as the entire thing can come out.

[smileysid]

Is it any role of external filter in cleaning physical particles from the tank, because I find the inlet of the filter can not suck most of the debris from the substrate.

[Somen]

Is it any role of external filter in cleaning physical particles from the tank, because I find the inlet of the filter can not suck most of the debris from the substrate.

yes it would not pick up bigger debris.
It is going to clean the water, the debris had to be siphoned off.

[SCORPIO]

I maintain as below:

1. Every week, I scratches front glass with a shaving blade.
2. After that I cleans glass with a cloth from inside. I uses old Baniyan/underwear cloth for this purpose. Use only once.
3. Algae check: I removes the algae.
4. After cleaning, I disturbs water so that all the debris come over in water.
5. Start water siphoning/remove around 50%.
6. Water filling.
7. Cleans front glass from outside with colin and newspaper.
8. In each aquarium, I mix Gluteraldehyde. If algae grows rapidly, I doses with Hydrogen Paraoxide.

[kvdelhi]

Over last 6 months, i experienced the following:
1. External filters are best and they suck whatever can pass into their slits, up to 1 to 2 mm thick debris.
2. Debris keep moving with flow of water and by movement of bigger fishes, so they eventually reach the inlet of external filter.
3. I manually pick up as many debris by Long Forceps about every other day while watching my aquarium
4. Siphon is good but is a big work to use and i do it only once every 2 weeks. It also disturbs or de-roots plants if they are close to each other.
5. If siphoned close to substrate, it does cause cloudiness but my aquarium is now 6 months so, it settles in about half hour.
6. Easiest to handle is Ista 3 in 1 Maintainence Kit. It comes with extendable handles and a nice sharp blade to remove hard sticking algae without scratching the glass.

[parthapratim22]

I put my finger infront of he pipe and disturb the substrate and siphon.

I also use card to clean the glasses. generally do once monthly heavy maintenance. and basic photoshoot for satisfaction.

After trimming I use surface skimmer.

[saikumar]

It really depends on how big your tank is and how many you have.
I have 3 tanks and do WC weekly, and rarely have time put hand in water. . one thing I do is point.4 from Rajiv Ji, not every time though.