plant and substrate cleaning question

[jeremy1]

do aquatic plants use the uneaten food and fish waste in the substrate for nutrients/food? how thorough of a substrate cleaning should i do with water changes? if plant type and stuff matter i just have banana plant dwarf lillies java fern and water sprite(?).its a 10g low light tank and a first time trying live plants. i have been vaccuuming the substrate and they all look pretty healthy.:ty:for any input!!!

[Greenhacker]

Unless you have a heavily planted tank I'd keep it just like any other tank. You just want to avoid digging up their roots is all.