Siphon+sand=annoying

[fish_fetish65]

so, in my 55G aquarium, i have sand as substrate. the problem that i am having is that, every time i attempt to siphon out the accumulated waste on the bottom, i end up siphoning up a ton of sand too. is there a particular method i can use to avoid taking all of my sand out everytime i siphon? or am i just stuck with this annoying issue?

 

[starrynightxxi]

i don't know what you're using, but when i want to clean my tanks (very fine gravel that also gets sucked up like sand does) i use just a bit of tubing rather than a gravel vac and hold it just above the surface of the substrate. It takes a little practice.

 

[Dorkhedeos]

just move it around like an inch above the sand and if there is anything that wont get sucked up, swirl the siphon around in small circles until it does

 

[fish_fetish65]

thanks i will try both of your suggestions

 

[Teelie]

It depends on your grain weight too. I have two types of sand in use currently. Plain pool sand with a fairly heavy weight and much finer, lighter black moon sand. The pool sand I can almost literally stuff the siphon into and it'll take only a few grains up with. The moon sand though requires more care and the above mentioned siphoning swirl an inch or so above the substrate.

I've also found the smaller the siphon itself, the less sand you'll suck up and conversely, the larger the siphon, the larger amount of sand gets pulled in. If you still get a problem with the siphon not getting all the detritus but pulling up sand, try a smaller siphon or just the hose itself.

 

[Bullrock74]

It depends on your grain weight too. I have two types of sand in use currently. Plain pool sand with a fairly heavy weight and much finer, lighter black moon sand. The pool sand I can almost literally stuff the siphon into and it'll take only a few grains up with. The moon sand though requires more care and the above mentioned siphoning swirl an inch or so above the substrate.

I've also found the smaller the siphon itself, the less sand you'll suck up and conversely, the larger the siphon, the larger amount of sand gets pulled in. If you still get a problem with the siphon not getting all the detritus but pulling up sand, try a smaller siphon or just the hose itself.

I've found the reverse of this is true if using a Python gravel siphon (hooked up to a sink)...the smaller the siphon diameter, the more suction is present and therefore much more sand gets pulled in.