Can You Use A Gravel Vac With Sand Substrate?

[Sausage]

Hi,

I am toying with the idea of eventually changing my substrate to sand. Can you use a gravel Vac with a sand substrate?

 

[Sofia]

yes, but you have to develop a technique that means that you suck up the dirt on top of the sand without sucking up any of the sand itself.

 

[Sausage]

Sounds tricky! I presume that dirt would be easier to suck tho as waste etc will sit on the sand surface rather than work its way to the bottom like it does in gravel?

 

[divegirl]

When vac'ing sand.....get your syphon going then use a circular movement to create a mini whirlpool, that way all the muck gets sucked up first. Any sand than is syphoned off you can just wash in the bucket and add back to the tank

Lisa x

 

[craig855s]

When vac'ing sand.....get your syphon going then use a circular movement to create a mini whirlpool, that way all the muck gets sucked up first. Any sand than is syphoned off you can just wash in the bucket and add back to the tank

Lisa x

This is a good method,obviously you dont need the filter part on the vac u could just use the thin hose end that the filter bit connects to. And obviously you dont touch the vac onto the sand (as the sand wont tumble around and fall back down like gravel does,it just shoots up the syphon) just hover it above any poop or dead leaves etc and itll suck them up,dont get too close or you'll get some free sand into the bargain

 

[ChrisChrisChris]

Just put argos sand in my tank and siphoned it today (Plec + 2 guppys and omg it was messy in 1 day!!!!). Really easy, you just hover over it so the suction isnt to great, or put your finger on the hose to reduce the suction/siphon speed and get closer.

AS said, any sand can be replaced but its probably the finer/dusty grains going up the siphon so i just bin them. Its only £3 a bag, did my whole tank(See sig) so you're hardly losing money.

As said though, it shows poop up really well which is a downer (Although plants will cover that soon hopefully!)