Cleaning Sand?

[mic8310]

Still in the fishless cycle but now have 'bits' all over the sand. I'm assuming its bits of plant and from the wood as I've done a couple of water changes and its been stired up.
I plan on gettin corries but they only stir it up, do the plecs eat them bits or do they just stir em up too?
Or is there a way of cleaning the surface?

 

[loachman]

Probably plant pieces, but you'd really need a photo to be sure.

Tank cleaning with a "gravel vac" or similar is the best way to get rid of it.

 

[Piltdownpaul]

Swirl a gravel cleaner over the sand-about a half inch or so above it. This will pick up any bits. I have corydoras catfish to constantly turn the sand over and keep it clean too.

 

[doresy]

Previous poster gives good advice on how to vac sand

I also concur that a good shoal of Cory will work wonders at turning over the sand (mainly over night/lights out) once your tank is cycled and matures a bit. This has the effect of disolving poo/plant and food waste back into the water so that it eventually ends up in the mechanical filtration media (floss) Bigger peices will be vaced at water changing time. (PS, not neccessary to do water changes during cycling)

With sand 'stuff' does lay on the surface which is actually good because you can see it and you know when it is or needs an extra clean. With gravel the same stuff falls between the gaps to lay and rot and produce bad bacteria which can harm fish like cory and muck up your ammonia level. When you have fish, with sand you sometimes get a little gas build up which is easily released by gently raking a thin stick through it once a week (say, at water change time)

I recently aquired 4 Gobies and I would recommend there to 'sandies' as they really do have a burrow about and since having them vaccing is practically unrequired! Oh, only if you have well rooted plants though

One last thing that you asked, Plecos (different to Cory) are poo machines so be prepared for more, not less 'bits' on your sand if you have them (and remember to research as some Pleco get HUGE!)