# Best way to clean planted 1.5g?



## lydianquinn (Sep 2, 2014)

I'm currently cycling my 1.5 gallon, which I plan on keeping a few cherry shrimp within the next two months. The tank contains substrate, river stones, and newly added dwarf hairgrass. I will not consider adding shrimp until the hairgrass has completely carpeted. 

I own a syphon hose thing, which I use for my 5 gallon. But it's too big to use for the 1.5g. What is the best method for not only changing the water, but cleaning mulm and debris from the bottom of the tank without disturbing the dwarf hairgrass and without harming/moving/stressing out the shrimp? 

Here are some pictures of my tank for visual reference:


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## Strawberry12 (Mar 6, 2015)

in my 3gal I use just a piece of airline tubing, so basically the gravel vac without the big "vacuum" part.

looks great, by the way!


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## lydianquinn (Sep 2, 2014)

Ah, gotcha! Thanks for the suggestion!


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## lydianquinn (Sep 2, 2014)

So hang on I just want to be sure I understand.. with just a small airline tube that does not have the squeeze pump, do you need to suck on one end to get the suction started? Or do you have a different method?


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## Oldfishlady (Mar 1, 2010)

Nice job on your tank...

The way I like to make water changes on my small planted tanks-I use my clean hand and fan the substrate area gently to pull some of the mulm/debris up into the water column and use a aquarium dedicated plastic cup and dip the water out.

With planted tanks you don't want to disturb the plant roots, as I am sure you already know-You also don't need to get all the mulm/debris either-leaving some can be a good thing since it can help provide nutrients for the plants as well as when it breaks down it will create CO2 as a by-product-all of which plants needs and often missing in planted tanks without injected CO2.

With that small of a tank personally I wouldn't bother with a siphon-the dip method will work better IMO/E-Also, when I replace the water-I like to use my free hand to poor the water over so not to displace the substrate or up-root plants that haven't rooted yet.

Once you get the shrimp I wouldn't even disturb the substrate-just dip out some of the water and replace-allowing the mulm/debris to break down for the plants to use and with the shrimp-they are great shredders and will help with faster break-down naturally.


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## lydianquinn (Sep 2, 2014)

Thank you so much! That's what I'll do! I appreciate you breaking it down for me.


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## ZeroChan (Feb 1, 2015)

The way I start siphoning without a suction starter is:
1. prepare for water change:
- all filters/heater off
- put a bucket near tank to catch water
2. fill tube with water. Hold them upright so no airbubble gets in
3. dip one end of tube in tank and the other into bucket AT THE SAME TIME (this is how you start suctions without a pump, must be at the same time so gravity will continue to pull the water out)
Just for interest sake. But if you are going to keep shrimps in it, this is probably not safe.


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