Sand - Ridiculously Hard To Keep Clean

[xamy_valox]

My tank looked absolutely stunning when I first set it up, clean and clear with lovely flat sand.
Now however my fish have gone on a pooing spree and it looks atrocious, as mentioned in another post I have ha trouble getting the poo off the top of the sand with my gravel cleaner and was advised to just use normal piping.
I have done so today and it seemed like it was doing the job, managing to pick the poo up but without disturbing much sand, however as I've put the lights back on all the poo is back on the surface and looks disgusting.
What am I doing wrong?!?!

 

[Noahs ark6]

from what youre saying, nothing, i just use a pipe aswell. How much are you feeding them?

 

[CezzaXV]

Try siphoning it out with the lights on?

 

[Vin Swords]

Make the poop to settle in one side of the tank by ur out flow pipe. Then put your in take there to pick it up..

You should never need to clean your sand... Ever.. No matter how much poo they poo.

 

[Didge007]

I've found the same problem but there is a lot of disturbance when I bucket water back in. I had missed last weeks water change so it was pretty filthy & all the gunk stuck at the back that I missed got washed to the front so it looked like I hadn't just spent an hour cleaning the tank so quick siphon of all that & it seems better

 

[fluttermoth]

Your not doing anything wrong; you're just seeing the poo, whereas before it was sinking into the gravel where it was invisible! It's better this way, really

 

[Proxo]

You're doing nothing wrong, my bet is it's down to the water flow. My 90L had the same issue, try a powerhead or something to get it moving - worked for me.

 

[xamy_valox]

I'm gonna attempt it again tomorrow just to get the poop up rather than doing a full on water change.
Last time my impellor got stuck so I had to kinda dismantle the filter to flick it and get it going again so I don't know if some of the much was down to that.
At the moment I have just pulled off the piping that was on the other end of my gravel cleaner, is this the kind of thing you guys use? It's thin and seems to get a good flow, just not really long enough so I'll have to buy some longer stuff =\
Also, should I swish my sand around? Or just leave it and scoop up the poop as I intend to? I'm worried incase there is air trapped in the sand.
Amy xx

 

[StandbySetting]

Improve your circulation and it will go away.

 

[Noahs ark6]

Improve your circulation and it will go away.

+1

 

[This Old Spouse]

+2

Exactly my situation and I added a powerhead and a decent canister filter. Can't even see it now. Oh, yeah, and I found a new home for my pleco! That really did the trick!

 

[bally]

having the same problem, ran with the sand for last 3 months and just not happy with the look,thiniking of going back to gravel.


However reading this i wonder if its as simple as the flow. I have a juwel 125lts tank with internal filter,which is a 600l/h power head. So my question to you guys should i use an external filter or a more powerfull head?

 

[This Old Spouse]

I have to tell you that I was very unhappy with the sand while I had my common pleco, but since I've rehomed him I'm quite happy with it now. Maybe I have the right combination of filters and powerheads, but I don't really have to clean it at all now. The only thing that sits on it is empty snail shells that I suck up with the hose.

 

[xamy_valox]

I did it today and it looks much better. How do I improve my circulation? I have a Fluval plus 3 filter in the tank xx

 

[This Old Spouse]

I'd suggest adding a powerhead. I have mine aimed at the front corner of the tank, and that forms a current that runs around the tank to make it easier for the filters to pick up the stuff.