cleaning tank with sand

kezy7 · Post by **kezy7** » 13 Sep 2004, 11:34

Hello

I hope someone can help me with my problem. I have set my tank up with sand at the bottom and would usually clean the tank using a siphone? (excuse the spelling, never much good at english) I have just done my first water change since the tank has been set up and managed to take loads of sand along with the water and dirt, does anyone know of any way to avoid this or a type of siphone that I can use that I don't need to actually touch the sand to pick up the waste from the surface.

Any ideas are welcome as I am sure that after a couple of months I will need to be adding more sand to the tank which is going to be a real nightmare for me and the fish.

Many thanks

Kerry

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 13 Sep 2004, 13:23

I just return any sand that I have siphoned out to the aquarium. In some cases I deliberately siphon it out in order to remove any detritus that may have got under the sand. If you use a 'gravel cleaner' type of siphon, you should find that by squeezing the hose you can regulate the flow to the point where you don't pick up any sand.
With a short piece of rigid pipe (few inches, have a look if your local outlet has a 'bargain box') pushed into your siphon tube, capped at the end and some holes drilled mid-way up, you should find that you can remove water without removing any sand.
Pete

kezy7 · Post by **kezy7** » 14 Sep 2004, 15:52

Thanks Pete

I will try this when I am next able to get down to my local store, the trouble I was having with the sand is that I syphone the water and debris into a large container that has a top just big enough to get the hose of the syphone into so I am finding it a bit of a challenge to remove any sand as it is usually at the bottom and I am unable to get my hand into the container, if I don't use the container, which I don't always, I put the water straight down the toilet via a garden hose attached to the end of the syphon.

I will give your idea a go and if not will find another container that I will be able to remove any sand that is syphoned out.

Many thanks

Kerry.

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 14 Sep 2004, 17:34

kezy7 wrote:I will give your idea a go and if not will find another container that I will be able to remove any sand that is syphoned out.

Yes, try and get a decent food-grade bucket or two.

pturley · Post by **pturley** » 14 Sep 2004, 17:44

I usually siphon up the sand/debris/whatever together and separate the sand prior to the drain
(just to keep the drain from clogging) and just replace the sand that is removed.

But then, I am only using Sand-box sand that is ~$3.00 U.S. for 20kg.

Post by **medaka** » 14 Sep 2004, 22:59

the pricing of sand is scandalous.. tip for people in the uk when buying sand, i use
childrens playpit sand it is non-toxic and does not affect the p.h. of the water,, and;;
it is usually a third of the cost of buying sand from a pet store or garden centre.

jurassic_pork · Post by **jurassic_pork** » 15 Sep 2004, 08:47

Good advice medaka,Especially as most LFS charge a fortune for it!

Mark

irene0100 · Post by **irene0100** » 15 Sep 2004, 15:25

Hi,
yes shop around for sand but put under magnifying glass to see of rounded or sharp of you have corys etc that sieve sand.
I was told by a LFS to use builders' silver sand -cheap in big bags - but it was so filthy when I came to wash it -I was not going to trust it on my fish!

You are brave to siphon into the loo -what if you accidently catch a fish, or fry....

I just use a household bucket.

Another tip - if you use sand - unless heavliy planted do not have the sand very deep. this is cos dead spots build up under the sand where no oxygen reaches (unless via plant roots) and then it gets toxic and poisonous to fish. so if deep sand then stir a lot in deep areas every week.
by deep I mean over 1 cm.

Post by **medaka** » 15 Sep 2004, 15:33

hi irene

yes you are right always check the sand to see if its not sharp as this is detrimental to catfish barbels amongst other things. however the playpit sand i use is of the rounded granular type
but it always wise to check..

ewan · Post by **ewan** » 15 Sep 2004, 16:26

medaka wrote:the pricing of sand is scandalous.. tip for people in the uk when buying sand, i use childrens playpit sand it is non-toxic and does not affect the p.h. of the water,, and;;
it is usually a third of the cost of buying sand from a pet store or garden centre.

I dont like the color that the playpit sand looks in a tank, too dark for me. I do agree that the sand that is for sale at my LFS is expensive but i've found that the stuff they sell is far easier to wash before putting it in my tanks and its much brighter too.

Lets face it we spend serious money on our hobby and the cost of the sand is hardly worth worrying about IMO.

kezy7 · Post by **kezy7** » 15 Sep 2004, 16:37

"You are brave to siphon into the loo -what if you accidently catch a fish, or fry."

The tank inhabitants are too young to be having fry at the moment,it does make it easier than carrying heavy buckets of water into the bathroom. I have just been bought a plant pot to put into the tank so once that goes into it I will no longer be putting it straight down the toilet.

I have in another tank found also that the fry do move quickly out of the way when the syphone comes even close to them so I am sure that it wouldn't be too much of a problem but as I said it will be going into a bucket from now on anyway.

Kerry