Best Way To Clean Poop From The Bottom :p

[alex:)]

Novice question but im not too sure im doing it the best way.

currently i clean the bottom usually 2x a week with a net but i think this disturbs the fish a lot as its only a 30l tank.

i have black sand at the bottom and a big handful of japenese grey pebbles and a white coral looking rock.

i think my filters pretty pap for cleaning the tank as it never seems to pick up stuff off the bottom so all the poop and little bits of uneaten food get stuck on the bottom on the sand or in the rocks... which is a nightmare to try and scoop up.

whats the best way to do it or any advice to weather i should get a better filter or airpump?

thanks!

 

[evilchild]

use a gravel vac.

 

[england]

i find the best way is to have a incline from back to front of tank so poo can sort of tumble to front where its easily syphoned from the tank,,,,get a syphon from lfs and its two jobs in one,,,,,,removing unwanted mulm and water change
easy to use just suck until you see water coming out or if your scwemish then put the whole tubbing into tank plug thumb over the outlet then pull out and into bucket and syphon

filters dont go round the tank hoovering<but they keep the water cleaner> so you have to put some effort it sorry........and obviously water changes are important

 

[evilchild]

here is a whole list of them load of types you can get to give you an idea
http/www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue...el-cleaners.asp

 

[alex:)]

thank you, someone mentioned a turkey baser once.. is that a good idea?

sorry another silly question, is the first gravel vac in that link something that stays on and in your tank perminantly?

 

[england]

suppose so... but it means upseting the fish putting arms into tank again,,,,where as with a syphon you push down the gravel vac section and not ha ving to put arm in tank, thus not upseting the fish to much,,,,then if you was to do this once a week, you have good water and fish get used to you interfering in there world

 

[alex:)]

i could really do with a system that involves less maintenance, i dont get much spare time but i want to keep my fishies in top order.

did you say gravel vacs are perminant features nelly?

 

[DarkEntity]

i could really do with a system that involves less maintenance, i dont get much spare time but i want to keep my fishies in top order.

did you say gravel vacs are perminant features nelly?

No they arent permenant features you need to do it. Depending on how good or bad your filter is and how well or poorly your tank is stocked will be a factor on how ofter you need to do it.

My fish are so used to me doing it, as soon as the vac enters the water they all shuffle to the left knowing i do the right end of the tank first...when the vac is removed they all shuffle to the right leaving the left side empty to vac.

if you havent got time to manitain your tank, you have a couple of options, sell the tank (take up knitting), evaluate your stocking of the tank and decrease it so that its well under the level the filter can maintain or add extra filter(s) so there is more flow sucking up waste (although will still need to vac the tank, just less often)

 

[england]

[quote name='DarkEntity' if you havent got time to manitain your tank, you have a couple of options, sell the tank (take up knitting),

iam sorry alex but this made me lafff,,,,,,,,

as he said you need to put time in to keep fish alive and healthy,sorry but thats life..
obviously in the wild no one does it i here you think<yes thats were the water system which is contiuosly changing comes in
bit like having a dog<feed it,take it for walks come snow/rain/shine etc
children, feed em, cloth em, give em money, take em out,let them out, then kick them out come 16

you have to have a sit down and think what comes first spare time for you or fish, if its you then sell the tank,,,,,

anyhow a tank like that maybe 10 mins to clean once a week

 

[Vin]

Get down to Tescos mate, they are selling gravel vacs for £1....yes.....£1

 

[chibi]

Siphon/gravel vac, like others mentioned. Sand is pretty difficult to clean with one. Do NOT stick the siphon to the sand like you would with gravel. You sort of swirl the siphon a few inches above the sand so the poo gets kicked up. Make little currents with the siphon to bring it up into the water and not sitting on the sand, then slurp it up. It takes a few times, but practice makes perfect. I wouldn't get a siphon that attaches to the sink; get a simple, cheap one that you can make lead into a bucket. That way, if you do accidentally suck up sand, it can easily be dumped back in. The ones that attach to your sink can be ruined if you get sand in the drainage system, and if they manage to get through that, can clog your drains. Sand can be pretty pesky...