So Much Poop

[tattae]

My fish poop so much. They eat and they poop all over. Some how the poop don't find their ways to the filtration. I have to do the vacuum every 3-4 days, but the next day it's all over again. And I'm afraid that soon I'll be out of sand!

Any suggestion? Thanks.

Info:
14 demasonis, 5 yellow labs, 1 syno featherfin.
48"x20"x20"
Sand and rocks

 

[Ginge]

1 tip is to just suck up the poo instead of the sand. If you do suck the sand up just put it back into the tank.

 

[helterskelter]

Use a couple of large power heads to circulate the water better to allow the filter to pick it up.

 

[adambrum]

I get a bit of aproblem with when i feed nls pelets it seems the poo is to heavy now i have switched to osi flake its a lot better.

 

[DiscusKeeper403]

white sand does show poo pretty badly...

 

[BiffMalawi]

I have black gravel in my lab tank, thus I am blissfully unaware.

I got white sand in my puffertank though and man sometimes I think some rat sits on top at night and doesn't flush.

 

[Nick Sw]

As HelterSkelter as said - More water movement to get the "poop" in the water column and sucked up by the filtration.

 

[Tommy Gunnz]

white sand does show poo pretty badly...

I agree with this sediment completely, you are probrably just able to notice it more since your sand in white. I also have found that some fish foods are better than others in the area of helping my fish either poop more or less.

You could also try reducing your feeding amounts (if you can safely). I feed my yellow labs once a day and usually very close to the same time to prevent overfeeding, but I would assume that less food would make less wastes. Just as well, you should ensure that you are feeding your fish the correct diet since some fish cannot digest the opposite type of food that they preferr, for example, feeding a fish that primarily eats plant matter or algea carnivorous foods like blood worms and the like will probrably lead to more wastes being produced in a shorter amount of time since the fish cannot really use the types of fat or nutrients that are found in live or frozen foods (other than frozen algea/plant matter).

 

[jollysue]

Don't tell jayjay, but I have bubble wands. I have had no problem with circulation with any of the three frontosa tanks. But the filters need servicing a lot. I have Emperor power filters on two and SeaClear System II wet/dry on the other. Six to ten inch fronts do poo. I think helterskelter is on to it with the circulation thing. Hopefully you are not feeding algae eaters bloodworms. Of course I'm also with Biff, I have salt and pepper sand.

 

[jgray152]

I would deffinatly try to get a little more water circulation in the tank. I have black sand but if I look you can still see all the pop but not as much as yours. I find it eventually decomposes and the life cylce continues. Try getting one of the Curtain bubble bars and place it on the back of the aquarium some where. With all the aur comming out of the bubble bar it usually creates circulation down along the sand to help move everything.

Thats what I do and have.

 

[jayjay]

I have no problem with them for water cirulation Sue

Just to keep on topic I agree more circulation, something I've done/do is lay a filter on it's side near the bottom of the tank.

I had a similar problem so used a large(ish) filter for main filtration, then used one a bit smaller and put it at the bottom of the tank, then used air stones from a strong air pump to keep circulation going. This is only on a 20g BTW.

 

[tattae]

Thanks for the advice, y'all. Changing the sand is probably out of the question. Too much hassle for a 20-day-old tank. Putting air bubbles sound like a good idea. How about air bubbles all the way across the back of the tank? Will that create any down fall?

 

[jollysue]

Yeah, the issue isn't really seeing the poop anyway. It's ways to get rid of it.

 

[jgray152]

How about air bubbles all the way across the back of the tank? Will that create any down fall?

Yup it should depending on what decorations you have. Sometimes they will disturb the circulation and make it weaker in other areas of the tank. I personally wouldn't go to crazy, although I can't think of a reason why not except for the fact you need a powerful pump to drive it.

I forget what pump I have but its powering my 55 gallon, 30 gallon and 5 gallon. thats about all it can do. I have a little room to play with if I added another tank but im not so im not going there.