Sand Cleaning

[nagus]

I'm having real trouble finding a good method of cleaning my sand substrate, Ive already tried vacuum types but they never seem that powerfull enough or long enough to reach the bottom without getting my hands in and not functioning properly as the vucuum is too far in the water.

I've also tried syphoning aswell, but just seem to take half the substrate out aswell as the intake hole is far too large!.

Can anyone reccomend a product to try which is available in the UK. It would need to be fairly flexible to be able to get in and around the heavy rockwork and be powerfull enough to reach the bottom (20") and still function properly.

Ideally I would prefer a vucumm type rather than syphoning as I don't always want to replace water, just when I want to do a bit cleaning

 

[rixy]

i get the same problem.i either get one of my fish nets and stir up the sand and move the net around near the bottom and catch the poo in the net or turn on my beast of an airpump.the airpump is so powerful,it stirs the whole tank up and most of the poo goes in the filter.

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

i dont know if you have tried a python, but those work great, even in sand, they suck really fast and empty 50% of the tank in just minutes..... only problem is with sand if you have puffers (like me) you have to watch every second what your doing, as sum fish get curiouse and well curiouse killed the cat .......fish catfish that is

 

[tttnjfttt]

I have sand in all my tanks, and I use a gravel vacume or python for water changes. What I do is hold the vacume part about an inch off of the sand, adn move it in small circles. It seems to work pretty well. A little sand may get sucked up, but nothing too major. Also, you do want to stir up the sand atleast every other week or you can get ammonia and nitrie up in it.

Aquatic-Bizkut: You never want to do a 50% water change. The drastic change can shock your fish. the most you ever want to do is a 25%. If the water is draining too fast for you to stop at 25%, then your python or gravel vac is too strong for the tank you have.

 

[DaveW]

Does anyone use a mains gravel vac?

 

[aquatic-Bizkut]

yeah i have a 25 foot python kit, and i use it on my 20, 25 and 10 gallon tank, it drains fast, and sucks really fast, but you can control it with the open/close valve..... so i try not to do toooo much water changes that are alot..... if that makes sense