Replanted plants after gravel changes?

[VTAb182]

I have a recently set up 2.5 gal planted uncycled tank and I just realized something I hadn't thought about before. When I do water changes and take out the gravel to clean it, it means taking out the plants entirely and just replanting them in the gravel (by planting I mean digging it little hole in the gravel and holding it down while I fill in around the stems with gravel). Is it bad for them to be taken out of the gravel so often? It seems to me like it would cause problems with the roots not being able to take hold to anything.

p.s. - sorry for posting so many new threads! I'm still getting going and I'm just chock full of questions

[baylee767]

Hey, you can't be as bad as me!

The plants wil survive, but unfortunatly, plants got through a process of acclimation in which they rot for a short time when they are moved from a new envirement. I had live plants in a 2.5 and 1 gallon tank once... they actually THRIVED (they got A LOOOOOOT of extra light from lamps, roughly 12-14 hours, and the watts were 25... and these were low light plants) But I wouldn't do it again. it's a lot of effort to re-plant them, and the rotting is annoying. But they'll be fine so long as you are willing to do a lot of work, depending on the plant species.

[Oldfishlady]

I wouldn't remove rooted plants for water changes....the mulm or waste in the gravel will be used by the plants for food...it best if you leave that.....even very, very small amount of uneaten fish food will be used by the plants....as organic break down or decomp this process also produces CO2 in very small amounts that the plants will use for food and energy to grow....plant growth varies as well based on your lights and photoperiod....if either of these are lacking and the plants are not actively growing they are not eating either....

I would just make partial water changes in the 50% area twice a week in the 2.5gal tank with active growing live plants......a light vacuum or even a light stir and dip would be fine too...just try not to disturb the plant roots....

What kind and how many live plants do you have?

[VTAb182]

Hmmm I was told that in a uncycled tank complete gravel washing was necessary. Is having a planted tank the exception.

In the tank I have a cypt. balansae and wisteria (this one isn't doing so well, but it may be what baylee was talking about) that are planted and a java fern tied to an ornament (completely out of the gravel)

[Hadouken441]

I dont believe theres ever a reason to completely wash a tank... The ammonia has to come from somwhere and the bacteria lives in the gravel. Why wash and waste all that time even cycling to begin with? If anything it would slow down a cycle...

[Oldfishlady]

When you have live rooted plants it changes the dynamics....you are not only caring for fish but also plants and it is a balance to provide for both...and with live plants it make care of the livestock easier......

If you change 100% of the water and clean the gravel in uncycled tanks...it will never establish the cycle....you wash all the beneficial bacteria down the drain...maybe you are confused with filtered and unfiltered tanks....unfiltered tanks without live rooted plants will need 100% water changes at one point...this point varies with tank size.......

With unfiltered tanks with live plants the plants produce oxygen, plants remove pollution like ammonia...active growth of plants can benefit the tank, however, this is still a closed system and partial water changes are needed....these water changes can vary too...based on number and type of plants, growth state and substrate......