Sand

[Nick16]

when you use sand as a substrate how do you clean it? becuase im sure a GRAVEL cleaner would not work so im curious how the 'crap' get cleaned up. thanks

 

[tyyrlym]

Take a bucket and fill it about 1/4 of the way up with sand. Take a garden hose on full blast and fill the bucket till it's about 1/2 to 2/3rds full. The hose should have churned things up but stick your hand in and churn the sand some more. Give it about five to eight seconds for the heavy stuff to settle and pour off the milky water. Keep doing this until the water that runs off is clear and you can't get it any clearer.

 

[minxfishy]

I think you meant, once its in the tank how do you clean it?

With the gravel vac just hoover it above the sand about an 1" away and the poop comes up with a little sand, but the poop is heavier so goes up the vac, you need a kind of swirling motion to do this and it does take some getting used to.

The other way and easier IMO is to just use the hose end (without the Vac part) and hold over the poop and up it goes

 

[tyyrlym]

...dang.

Yeah, that works. It just takes some finesse to make sure you don't start sucking up sand. Once you get the feel for it you'll do fine. It just takes some practice and remember, even if you do suck some up sand is cheap to replace so its not the end of the world.

 

[oakes]

You may still be able to use a gravel vac if the sand is not too fine. No big deal if a little does end up in the bucket, after emptying the water just tip it back into the tank. But for fine sand i agree with the previous comments. Just siphon near the surface. With fine substrate the waste does not usually penetrate much below the surface, though it's a good idea to keep the substrate shallow and stir it and turn it over occasionally to expel any other matter or stagnant pockets.

 

[tyyrlym]

No big deal if a little does end up in the bucket, after emptying the water just tip it back into the tank.

I'd really advise against that. By the time you're done vacuuming all the junk you were trying to get out will be mixed into any sand in the bottom of the bucket and dumping that back into the tank defeats the entire purpose of vacuuming it. Toss it with the rest of the water.

 

[oakes]

I'd really advise against that. By the time you're done vacuuming all the junk you were trying to get out will be mixed into any sand in the bottom of the bucket and dumping that back into the tank defeats the entire purpose of vacuuming it. Toss it with the rest of the water.

Unless you let the bucket stand the vast majority of sediment remains in suspension. I have never noticed sediment in the bottom of my buckets. In any case and on reflection i agree, it would likely be easier and wiser just to toss the lot.