How Hard Is It To Clean Sand?

[tayliajayne]

because i havnt had sand befor, and i have put it in my new 5ft tank

some people say its really hard to clean but i want to hear from people who have it or have had it

and whats the easyest way to clean it......

cheers x

 

[erk628]

because i havnt had sand befor, and i have put it in my new 5ft tank

some people say its really hard to clean but i want to hear from people who have it or have had it

and whats the easyest way to clean it......

cheers x

I have sand in all my tanks and its not hard to clean. What I do is use the gravel vac but take off the plastic tube and just use the hose. Hover over the top of the sand it it will pick everything up. At first you will pick up some sand but in time you will learn how hight or low to hover. Also remember you will need to stir the sand up one in a while to make sure there are no gas pockets forming. When you do this make sure to turn the filter off and vac the sand first I would do it once a week when you do a water change. If you decide to go sand let use know and we can tell you how to put it in.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi tayliajayne

It depends on the sand. Some is worse than others. Play sand can have a lot of silt to wash out, but if you look at it as part of the job of setting up your fine new tank, it gets done.

I prefer to use the small batch method since any dirt left in will be sucked into the filter and it can damage an impeller. I wash just a few cupfuls at a time in a dishpan and rinse until the water runs completely clear. If you use warm water and stir it around with your hands it is rather pleasant and the process will make your hands smooth too.

 

[drobbyb]

I wouldn't say that it's hard to clean. You just need to keep the siphon tube about a half an inch above the sand so that you don't suck it up. You are also going to note that sand needs more frequent cleaning than gravel. Gravel mostly hides the poop and such, where sand leaves it nice and visible.

 

[tayliajayne]

ahh thanks guys thats all i needed to know, im gunna be doing a water change on tuesday/wednesday? and i will try it then

thanks again

x

see i wanted sand because it has more of a tropical ocean look and for xmas i want a big ship to go into the tank, and you can see the fish better and the colours of them.