Just Done Something Really Stupid...

[MermaidMel]

I dunno why I didn't think of this myself but I just put sand (crushed gravel) in the bottom of my new aquarium, but it has a power head thingy - the sand's gonna get sucked right up it isn't it? I was just looking on the net about sand maintenance and it mentioned this might happen. I don't want to fill the whole thing to find that out. Shall I just take it right out and use proper gravel?

 

[Yetti]

If you have the powerhead almost touching the bottom, then yes it will get sucked up... if it is fairly high above the sand bed then it will be fine.

 

[MermaidMel]

If you have the powerhead almost touching the bottom, then yes it will get sucked up... if it is fairly high above the sand bed then it will be fine.

Yes it touches the bottom. Would it work if I had a ring of large gravel round the power head so the sand was a couple of inches away from the bottom of the powerhead or would it eventually get sucked up too?

 

[Pimp]

u can add a sponge to the end so the gravel wont get sucked up

 

[MermaidMel]

u can add a sponge to the end so the gravel wont get sucked up

Would that not make the powerhead less effective? Would you cover the whole of the bottom bit or just the very bottom?

 

[Pimp]

i have the same problem as you but with blasting sand as my substare.. i just raised the pipe(tech. term?) 5 inches up for the ground and its running fine

 

[MermaidMel]

i have the same problem as you but with blasting sand as my substare.. i just raised the pipe(tech. term?) 5 inches up for the ground and its running fine

Ah ok, so I can cut through the pipe with a scalpel or something and re-attach it?

 

[Pimp]

mine was adjustable.. your should come in segments ?does it not

 

[MermaidMel]

mine was adjustable.. your should come in segments ?does it not

No its one continuous length but it removes from the head itself easily - shall I take a chance?

 

[Pimp]

aha no.. just remove the substate

 

[MermaidMel]

Oh booooo I'm gutted now
Thanks for helping me out though xx

 

[The-Wolf]

two things spring to mind
1 raise the powerhead so that it dosn't suck the sand in or
2 invert the powerhead so it is upside-down and takes water in from well above the sand

 

[MermaidMel]

two things spring to mind
1 raise the powerhead so that it dosn't suck the sand in or
2 invert the powerhead so it is upside-down and takes water in from well above the sand

I can't raise the powerhead, its part of the tank and fits into a certain place in the tank and can't be adjusted.

Thanks though

 

[The-Wolf]

is there any way of attaching a pipe (Shepard's crook) to the inlet so that you can raise the intake?

 

[MermaidMel]

is there any way of attaching a pipe (Shepard's crook) to the inlet so that you can raise the intake?

I've abandoned the sand now. Taken it out and putting gravel in - all too much grief. A terrible shame as it's what I wanted, but when I started reading about the extra maintenance etc. it started to make me 'oops' so I have a bag of sand going if anyone wants it lol