Re: will not gravel vaccuming kill my fish?

[EMAIL PROTECTED] (Mark Stone) wrote in 
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]:

> You probably need to vacuum more often. I think the question is how
> thoroughly. On your UGF system, I think that vacuuming very thoroughly
> would remove alot of the Nitrobactor and Nitrosomonas bacteria that
> makes UGF work,

which is why i rather not mess with the substrate unless i *have* to.

 but yet not vacuuming at all (or only occasionally)
> might allow the system to get blocked up when the substrate becomes
> too dirty.

I im *sure* i have water flow under the ugf because water is being pulled 
by my hang on aquaclear, 

> 
> I'm surprised that you have mucho nitrates while doing 30% partials
> weekly! Why don't you experiment -- the next two or three changes,
> include a vacuuming, and then test for nitrates and see what turns up.
> 
> --Mark
> 

hi Mark, i am surprised too at my high level of nitrates, my tap water is 
not at fault (as is the case in for many). I hesitate to vaccum also 
because last time i did, the water got so cloudy for a few hours that i 
believe it caused one of my fish to get very sick (it recovered).