Is There A Way To Stop Sand Going Bad?

[MewMew42]

or is it just a case of agitating it when i do water changes? or is there a different way, like to maybe add some burrowing fish? i dont know, im just sick of having to replace it even though i do agitate it!

it just goes bad and smelly!

 

[mixmaster jay]

thats all i do and that works for me

 

[chesterscot]

i have malaysian trumpet snails that eat the rubbish and burrow through the substrate turning it over
hope that helps
regards scot

 

[MewMew42]

hmm if it works than i must be pretty pants at it lol

but the snails sound good!!

what about khuli loaches? i dont mean to eat the crap but to burrow?

if not i will see if we have those snails at work! thanks =]

 

[minxfishy]

There is a way, use gravel

 

[Jazzzz]

I have never managed to keep sand clean went back to gravel in larger tanks

 

[MewMew42]

There is a way, use gravel

y'know im seriously thinking of going to gravel! my 10 gallon is perfect with gravel

the only reason i have sand was because of my corys and bottom dwellers, but its such a a pain!

my fish [esp the whiptails] weren't exactly happy with the extra sand added.....how would i go about changing it to gravel!?

 

[minxfishy]

Take out the sand and put some gravel in, I have gravel, albeit very fine gravel and my cories are fine with it.

I would place the fish, ornaments, filter etc in a bucket of tank water, clean the sand out completely and put clean fresh gravel in, then put the water, fish etc back in, be like a 50% w/c.

 

[WhiteDevil]

My sand is fine, doesnt smell at all, I just got some MTSnails and live plants, My kuhlis do not burrow in the sand at all, they burrow in the rocks. How much sand is in your tank? like depth of the sand, that makes a HUGE difference.

 

[MewMew42]

Its only a couple of inches, only seems to go bad near the filter though

It smells so icky, luckily argos play sand is only £3!

ps would my clown loaches eat the snails!? :\ just had a realisation!!