cory problems

[WhistlingBadger]

How often do you puff the sand with a turkey baster?

Pockets of noxious nasties under the surface from rotting poo and leaves etc will poison anything that digs or sifts the sand like Cories

Well, I couldn't do it more than once a week, which I suspect wouldn't make a huge difference. Might give it a try.

 

[Deleted member 149562]

Well, I couldn't do it more than once a week, which I suspect wouldn't make a huge difference. Might give it a try.

If you give it a really good puff and suck with the baster, and the sand is well turned over and as much much removed as you can in the space of around 45 minutes, you only really need do it once a month after that

The first suck and puff always takes a bit of time but once on top of it, 10-15 minutes will suffice in future

Use the baster to suck water in the aquarium, stick the end of the baster under the sand and squeeze the bulb to force the water out....that loosens the sand, loosens and releases the gasses and muck trapped under the surface and then use the baster to pick up the muck

All sandy aquariums...fresh or marine and amphibian...benefit from a good going over with a suck and puff bastering once a month

 

[Akeath]

I also have a bunch of driftwood and caves in my tanks, often several pieces, as well as a variety of plants. But I lift the hardscape up and move them during the water change so I can gravel vacuum under them. Even the ones covered in moss. That's just part of maintenance, even if it takes me awhile to put everything back where it belongs after a water change. I don't attempt to just gravel vacuum around all the hardscape, because that would be so ineffective. Usually the plants stay put during this process thanks to their roots, but if necessary I can replant them or reattach them in short order. All part of my maintenance regime.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I also have a bunch of driftwood and caves in my tanks, often several pieces, as well as a variety of plants. But I lift the hardscape up and move them during the water change so I can gravel vacuum under them. Even the ones covered in moss. That's just part of maintenance, even if it takes me awhile to put everything back where it belongs after a water change. I don't attempt to just gravel vacuum around all the hardscape, because that would be so ineffective. Usually the plants stay put during this process thanks to their roots, but if necessary I can replant them or reattach them in short order. All part of my maintenance regime.

That works if your hardscape is sitting on top of the sand. My hardscape is buried in the substrate, so probably no.

 

[Byron]

I never moved wood or rock, or cleaned under them. These areas are anaerobic but they are useful in the balance of the water chemistry, not harmful. But don't move the wood/rock or you can have problems. I had tanks running for 4, 5 maybe 6 years straight with no problems from doing this.