How to do water changes with top plants

[Tidal4]

I just got a top floating plant - supposedly frogbit, but it doesn't quite look like it - and I'm trying to do a water change in my small 5-gallon tank. I use a gravel vacuum to clean the gravel while taking out water since I don't have a pump and it'd take out way too much water if I did. The issue I'm having is that the new floating plant keeps sticking to my gravel vacuum, making water changes a real pain. I've looked for YouTube videos, but can't find any helpful ones - does anyone have any tips on how to clean without hurting the plant or messing it up too much? Oh, and there are snails on the plant too, so I want to avoid hurting them as well.

[boomer]

I think I see what's going on here - the tiny ones are probably duckweed, and the ones with slightly bigger leaves might actually be Frogbit. Duckweed is basically indestructible, so don't worry about hurting it. Frogbit, on the other hand, needs a bit of time to settle in. When you're done with the water change, just gently "wipe off" any Frogbit that's stuck to the gravel vacuum.

[kingrise]

Just find a clear spot in the tank and submerge the vacuum. As you move it around to clean different areas, the floating plants should just swirl around it, and you can easily maneuver around them. If some do attach to your hand, a simple wipe should do the trick.

The snails are pretty hardy, so I wouldn't worry too much about hurting them.

[Giggletons]

I think I see what's going on here - the tiny ones are probably duckweed, and the ones with slightly bigger leaves might actually be Frogbit. Duckweed is basically indestructible, so don't worry about hurting it. Frogbit, on the other hand, needs a bit of time to settle in. When you're done with the water change, just gently "wipe off" any Frogbit that's stuck to the gravel vacuum.

I'm with you on the smaller plants being duckweed, but I think the larger ones might also be a type of duckweed - spirodela. Frogbit seems a lot bigger, thicker and longer to me.

Also, that stuff on the bottom, if it's algae, it loves light and turns this nice green when it gets some. Just a heads up, you'll want to trim it or it'll get out of hand.

[Avalon]

I completely agree with you guys, don't worry too much about the duckweed and those little snails - they'll bounce back in no time.

[Giggletons]

I think I see what's going on here - the tiny ones are probably duckweed, and the ones with slightly bigger leaves might actually be Frogbit. Duckweed is basically indestructible, so don't worry about hurting it. Frogbit, on the other hand, needs a bit of time to settle in. When you're done with the water change, just gently "wipe off" any Frogbit that's stuck to the gravel vacuum.

If your water parameters are in check and the snails are thriving, they'll multiply quickly, and you'll have a bunch of them.