Cleaning Sand

[JoeGuzzo]

so i set up my new 55 gallon and instead of gravel like the last tank i put in sand..

i cleanined the sand before i put it in, painin the #17##### that was took me like an hour.

i thought of this in the past but didnt really think too much into depth about it, but how do i clean the sand when its in the tank, obviously you cant use the gravel vac on it

ive read that you can use the gravel vac but keep it like an inch above the sand and it should suck all the fish #106### and stuff off the top of it and to stir it up every once in a while but but these dont really seem to conventional to me, is there any other way ???

 

[jonnyf84]

depends on the weight of the sand, if its play sand then a gravel vac wont work, i use river sand and use the vac every time, just squeeze the hose to release the pressure when the sand gets near the top, you'll soon get hang of it.

 

[JoeGuzzo]

yea i have play sand but what i noticed is when i do do the gravel vac and i have tried putting in close to the sand some of it gets sucked up but it never really goes right to the top and out the tube it sort of just floats around the main cylinder

 

[Cazgar]

It is a bit tricky at first.
I find by swirling the vac around just above the surface of the sand it loosens the dirt so you can suck it up.
Tbh I wouldn't use playsand again, I'd go for something slightly coarser

 

[JoeGuzzo]

It is a bit tricky at first.
I find by swirling the vac around just above the surface of the sand it loosens the dirt so you can suck it up.
Tbh I wouldn't use playsand again, I'd go for something slightly coarser

really? when i was inquiring about what kind of sand to use play sand came with many recommendations

and if not play sand then what kind?

 

[NeonNeptune]

I have heard eco complete is good, doesn't require to be stirred and has plant nutrients in it that aid in plant growth and has beneficial bacteria but looks like it has both coarse sand and small gravel. I haven't tried it yet but plan on it when I have time during the summer. Play sand is inert but requires a lot more work to get ready and maintain

 

[KISSfn]

I switched from gravel to sand and I think sand is fantastic and superior to gravel in every way. Play sand is highly recommended because it is so inexpensive and it works. I prefer CaribSea Tahitian Moon because I love the look of it but it costs more. Plus you can get away with adding it without rinsing it first. Just have to skim the surface of the water. It's easy to clean once you get the hang of swirling the water above the sand to suspend the nasties so they are syphoned away leaving the sand undisturbed. Virtually impossible to not ever syphon some sand away but the amount is usually insignificant.