Vacuuming Sand

[swanseastilo]

Do you really think im bothered about my spelling and grammar.

So when you finished you tantrum go back to your colouring book.

have a kiss might cheer you up xx

 

[FishTankCrazy]

Do you really think im bothered about my spelling and grammar.

So when you finished you tantrum go back to your colouring book.

have a kiss might cheer you up xx

Lol yeah ta was ranting a bit! Sorry about that think it's the old age setting in.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

And thus we can read from the Book of Aquariums in the Chapter of the Sand Substrate found in The Gospel of Holy Maintenance,

Verse 1: Verily I say unto thee that the only thing that makes poop and debris more visible from a greater distance than white sand is black sand.

Verse 2: No siphon nor tank vacuum made by man shall fail to suck up some sand.

 

[StandbySetting]

Haha have you read your original post. Poor spelling and no grammer...think you need to sharpen you're crayons' chief.

Please don't pick on peoples grammar when your own isn't perfect.

Can we get this back on topic please?

 

[FishTankCrazy]

Haha have you read your original post. Poor spelling and no grammer...think you need to sharpen you're crayons' chief.

Please don't pick on peoples grammar when your own isn't perfect.

Can we get this back on topic please?

That is why I said my previous post. Anyway going back to the issue I found it easier to use a big bore clear tube around half inch and just hovering above the poo etc and it draws it in from quite a large area. Better than messing around with a tiny tube! Tried both.

 

[nehpets81]

Thanks, I guess I will have a practice with the airpipe and sucking when it arrives... I did find a makeshift solution for the time being - Start the syphon as usual, detatch the large gravel end thing (that's the technical term, I believe) and suck up the poo with that. It did suck up more water and sand than I'd like so it will be interesting to see if the thinner airpipe will be able to target the offending debris more accurately...

 

[KkAaNnEe]

You can start the syphon by just filling the tube with water before hand, put your finger over the end which is out of the tank and set the other end in the water, then just remove your finger from the other end thats out of the water.

Also, the big gravel vac bit is pretty useless on sand, I just use a length of hose.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

And thus we can read from the Book of Aquariums in the Chapter of the Sand Substrate found in The Gospel of Holy Maintenance,

Verse 1: Verily I say unto thee that the only thing that makes poop and debris more visible from a greater distance than white sand is black sand.

Verse 2: No siphon nor tank vacuum made by man shall fail to suck up some sand.

Reading further in Verse 1, you'll find that sufficient flow in the tank will keep a lot of detritus from building up on the sand substrate.

Continuing with the 2nd verse: 1) sand is cheap, so topping up a bit when necessary every year or two is a minor issue. 2) if you don't want to do that, a quick swish of the water before pouring it out, will allow you to replace the vast majority of the sand taken out of the tank during each water change.



Ultimately, sand is a much cheaper alternative to gravel. It is also very good for most fish, at least for the fish that actually spend time on or near the substrate. Let me put it this way - sand doesn't harm any fish. Gravel can.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Ultimately, sand is a much cheaper alternative to gravel. It is also very good for most fish, at least for the fish that actually spend time on or near the substrate. Let me put it this way - sand doesn't harm any fish. Gravel can.

Actually most small gravels sell for less than most sands. Price them by the ton and you will see. Now if you buy "aquarium gravel" or "aquarium sand" those will cost a lot more for the same thing. Folks are smart enough to find cheaper versions of sand but don't seem so inclined for gravel.

Plecos spend a lot of time on rocks and wood.

I have kept all sorts of fish in all kinds of tanks with a variety of gravel types for many years and have never had it harm any of my fish. Exactly how can gravel appropriate for tank use harm fish that don't need to burrow or sift sand?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Exactly how can gravel appropriate for tank use harm fish that don't need to burrow or sift sand?

I never claimed that it would... but for those fish who do, certain gravels can harm them. I was merely pointing out that gravel can harm fish. Obviously, they are not all affected by gravel, but for the varieties that are - IMHO, it is better not to chance it. I've never seen a cory with worn down barbels that was kept in a tank with a sand substrate. On converse, I have seen cories with virtual nubs for barbels that were kept on gravel.


Substrate is completely inconsequential for mid- and top-water swimmers. But, in reference to the bottom dwellers, I think that it does make a difference.

 

[Akasha72]

okay - bumping this thread back up as I've just changed to sand and had issues today with syphoning and cleaning the poo off the sand.

The day after I changed to the sand there was some brown bits layed on the top that the filter had spewed out when I switched it back on. I decided to use my Algarde gravel vac on it. It attaches to an air pump and any mess goes into a cotton bad and the water stays in the tank.
I found this way worked quite well and left the sand looking clean.

Today I decided to do a partial water change to freshen things up 3/4 days after the change over. I thought I'd be able to use my usual syphon to suck up bits of poo etc but I found it absolutely rubbish. I even tried swirling it around to get the mess to lift off the sand but that didn't work either. The syphon just didn't seem to have enough suction. If you sit it on the top of the sand it sucks up sand aswell as poo ... seems that way there's no way of winning.

I've just been reading about the airline way and I didn't think to try that.

I wondered if anyone had discovered another way that does the job since this thread had been started

Akasha

 

[KkAaNnEe]

Take the actual siphon off the hose and just use the hose alone

 

[Akasha72]

Take the actual siphon off the hose and just use the hose alone

Okay, I'll try that. Thanks

 

[Tonyb111111]

I had similar irritations when siphoning the poo so modified an eheim gravel vac to do the job. Can use it every day now with no water loss and it gets rid of everything.

Check out the mod Here

 

[chelsiethegreat]

put the vaccum end in the water... bring it back up allowing some water to go down the tube.. pinch the hose to that there is still water in the vaccum part, and in the hose a bit.. thhhen, the most crucial step, put the vaccum end back in the water (WHILE STILL PINCHING THE TUBE) ALLOWING WATER.. and NO air in the vaccum part point the cleaning end twords the bottom of the tank and release your pinch.. if done correctly as soon as you let go the siphon will start..NO SUCKING EVOLVED! i do this all the time and it works great! takes a couple trys to get down... but its the way to do it!