The substrate gets loaded with a lot of waste material as time passes, how to maintain it? do you guys replace it? or am I doing something wrong?
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The substrate gets loaded with a lot of waste material as time passes, how to maintain it? do you guys replace it? or am I doing something wrong?
I almost never replace the substrate entirely. It’s a huge hassle and disrupts the ecosystem. Instead, I focus on maintaining it with the right balance of clean-up crew like shrimp and snails, which help break down waste. Also, healthy plant growth will absorb a lot of the nutrients from waste material.
Agree🤝
Clean-up crew sounds interesting.
Hmm…Interesting. I think you’re doing something wrong. You generally don’t have to replace the substrate in an aquascape very often, if at all. It’s more about regular maintenance.
Here, this is what I do, and my tank is around 4 years old and it’s still in pretty good shape.
If you’re seeing excessive buildup, you might be overfeeding or have an overstocked tank.
Adarsh It can’t be overfeeding or overstocking. I do a good job of controlling it. It should be because I don’t vacuum closer to the substrate, also recently some plants started to melt and all the remains have settled down, making a mess. I’ll clean up and add more plants. Thanks.
Fast-growing plants like stem plants are great for absorbing excess nutrients. Also, consider adding a good quality biofilter to help break down waste more efficiently.
I totally agree. Regular maintenance is crucial. However, if you notice the substrate has compacted too much or if you’re dealing with constant algae problems, it might be time to consider a partial substrate replacement. I usually do this every 3-4 years in my heavily planted tanks. It keeps things fresh and the plants love it.
One trick I’ve used is to add a layer of new substrate on top of the old one if I feel like it’s becoming too exhausted. This way, I can refresh the nutrient levels without disturbing the established ecosystem too much. It’s somewhat like adding a new layer of soil to a garden bed.
I do a complete substrate change every 2 years, but that’s just my preference. I like to experiment with different substrates and see how my plants and fish respond. It’s definitely more work, but I enjoy the process and seeing the results.