help sand keeps clogging filter

[witchbox]

my friend has a 4ft x2ft x18ins tank that has sand on the bottom, the problem is she has a 9in approx common plec, he is having a whale of a time digging up the sand and causing the water to become really cloudy,
the filter (fluval 404 external) is now getting clogged with sand,
she dosn't want too rehome the plec and she would like to keep the sand but doesn't know what to do.
Does anyone else have this problem, and how have you solved it or will she need to get rid of sand and change to gravel

 

[The-Wolf]

add a Fluval Surface Skimmer costs around £8
and changes the intake from underwater to surface intake

Bottom of this page http/www.fishandfins.co.uk/fluval-spare.htm

 

[witchbox]

thanks

how does it work ,

 

[freddyk]

If the sand is clouding up like that it doesn't sound like the best sand. Do you know what type it is? It would be cheaper, if much more of a pain in the butt, to switch to a better sand. My cichlids and pleco stir up a lot of sand but it settles right back down with no cloudiness whatsoever.

 

[witchbox]

it could be that, will let her know

 

[witchbox]

many thanks she is going to change the sand and add a surface skimmer so that should sort it

 

[Big Rob]

Sounds like she didn't rinse her sand for sure. She can try a "pre-filter" on her intake to stop sand from entering the filter. Basically, you find a dense sponge that can be fitted over the end of the intake tube, thereby allowing water but not sand particles to penetrate through the sponge and into the intake. On a side note, the sponge is also a great site for beneficial bacteria to colonize!