Cleaning Tank: How To Get Poop Behind Rocks?

[jiffy]

While doing my first water change on my new tank, I noticed what could become an issue. I have a sand substrate and very large rocks creating caves in the tank. I did a water change and used the vac just above the sand in the front of the tank, but there wasn't anything there to suck up.

Then as I was refilling the tank, a plethora of fish poo came out from behind the rocks and was floating around. I can't really get to it where it is when it is in the caves though.

FWIW the tank has had fish in it just over a week, after doing a fishless cycle, and both ammonia and nitrites are 0ppm. I don't have a nitrate test kit.

Is this anything to worry about, or will it all just break down into ammonia and be taken care of by the beneficial bacteria in the tank?

 

[wendywc]

Then as I was refilling the tank, a plethora of fish poo came out from behind the rocks and was floating around. I can't really get to it where it is when it is in the caves though.

At that point you could do another quick run with the gravel vac.

 

[Tolak]

A turkey baster works for areas your vac won't fit in.

 

[cane76]

my advice is try to decorate your fish tank so you can get your gravel vac everywhere or at least be able to see if there is a waste build up anywhere i learned the hard way

 

[Qays]

Why dont you just pick the rock up?

 

[Sheridanp]

Before you start to vacuum, shake the tank up a bit and get all the poop up in the mid-top area.