Can someone tell me how they clean a sand tank

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo

305phins

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Aug 25, 2010
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Im putting up my new 150g I want to go with sand but how hard is sand to vac or how do you clean the sand. I have rocks in my 110g not gravel 1" 1.5" black rocks when i vac i move them around and suck up a whole lot of crap would it all sit in the sand like it does between the rocks
 
Get yourself a hose I just use the gravel vac take the tube off and just use the hose. Hover over the sand and suck the poop/food up. The tricky part is learning how far down to hover to not suck sand up, some people use a swirling motion I found that doesn't help me. I use play sand and at 4 something for a 50 pound bag I don't mind sucking some up which I always tend to do I have piles in my driveway were I stick the hose out the window. If your using expensive sand you'll want to be more careful or maybe syphon it into a bucket so you can pour the sand back in. Gravels a lot easier to clean because if its not tiny you don't have to worry about sucking it up but sand looks better and is better for bottom dwellers. Everything stays right on top of the sand unless you have fish that likes to shift the sand then some will get slightly buried. I just stir it up with a cooking spoon or something after cleaning it and go back over it if anything gets brought up.

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Yea i planning on keeping arows umbee festae jags jds. they all like to stir up sand. Now if the crap gets all in the sand isnt it a mission. In my salt water tank the sand gets all dirty. I really want sand tho
 
Arowanas might not be the best choice for the footprint of tank, but the rest should be fine. I guess you can make it work though.

As far as cleaning the sand, its alot easier than with gravel. For one, the uneaten food, bacteria, and feces dont hide under it as they do with gravel. Its just a matter of pointing out where the feces and everything else is and vacuuming it up. Theres no need to dig you gravel vac into the sand as nothing will be under there. Stir up the sand every once in a while as sometimes toxins accumulate under it.

Another advantage with sand is that if you have good filtration and bottom fish sometimes they will kick up the feces and the filter will just suck it right up!
 
Nice info guys. Idk what kind of sand i should get i want it black though any suggestions. BTW 72x18x27 isn't a good footprint for a arow? how come to thin ?
 
305phins;5051165; said:
Nice info guys. Idk what kind of sand i should get i want it black though any suggestions. BTW 72x18x27 isn't a good footprint for a arow? how come to thin ?

Thats a pretty good size. I thought it was the 150 gals i usually see which are 48"x24x30.
 
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