Gravel Vaccuming Sand?

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gazelle

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 29, 2009
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USA
I was planning on putting sand in my Bichir Tank. How do you use gravel cleaners? because I'm sure they will suck up the sand right? if you guys could make or find a video thatd be great too.
 
Place empty bucket beneath your fish tank, the gravel cleaner is gravity powered and water only goes down hill.

Switch off your heater and depending on whether you will get wet if you don't your filter.

Stick the end that is just a pipe over or ideally in said bucket.

Stick the end with the funnel into fish tank water.

Prime the vacuum. Different models have different techniques.

Suck end in bucket and hope you don't get a mouthful of fish crap.

At this point water is now flowing from tank to bucket, so stick funnel in gravel vertically.

The lift and dunk method gets right into a particular area, the hover and suck covers a greater area, but doesn't lift as much crap.

Remember your bucket is a finite resource; stop sucking before it overflows. (ie:Take funnel out of water).

Replace water removed from fish tank with fresh, switch on heater and filter.

Take bucket of dirty water and feed your roses, (it's full of nitrogen).

Clean funnel end of vacuum under tap as it will have fish crap stuck on it
 
ummm that method is only for gravel you didn't really answer his question



sand dosen't need vacumming all the crap just stays on top of the sand so just hold the end of the siphon tube above the sand a little so it only sucks up the poop and not the sand.
 
waste usually lays on top of the sand and is lighter then sand so just siphon about and inch from the top in small circular motion and it pulls the waste out then once a year or so turn off all your equipment and give it a good stir to release any gases that may have built up this can get kinda smelly for a few hours, large water change after stirring helps get rid of smell
 
Yeah but both of you failed to say anything bout sand depth! That if over say 1/2 deep he needs to stir it every month or 2.
 
Zander_The_RBP;4068015; said:
ummm that method is only for gravel you didn't really answer his question



sand dosen't need vacumming all the crap just stays on top of the sand so just hold the end of the siphon tube above the sand a little so it only sucks up the poop and not the sand.


yea thats what i ment
 
EvilKid;4068052; said:
waste usually lays on top of the sand and is lighter then sand so just siphon about and inch from the top in small circular motion and it pulls the waste out then once a year or so turn off all your equipment and give it a good stir to release any gases that may have built up this can get kinda smelly for a few hours, large water change after stirring helps get rid of smell

this was basiclaly the entire answer thanks =D
 
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