I wanna use sand in the future but how do I maintain it? If I have like a one inch deep layer of sand, do I need to stir it less than for deeper sand beds? I'm looking to have sand while having the least amount of maintenance needed.
Sand in aquarium
- Thread starter L3CTR0N
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Vac it, as per Kno4te.
Alt.: give it a stir with a stick every couple of weeks to shake the bubbles out.
Alt: when you put water back in after water-change - splash it harder than normal so it gets into the bottom, or use a hose. It doesn't take much to shift.
Alt.: MTS and/or loaches and/or eartheaters will keep it moving and/or stirred. Younger eels that self-bury, also. Cichlids like to dig & landscape, also.
Alt.: feed live tubifex & actively bury a few into the bottom where they'll do their thing, including making passages for methane to move/escape. There are other FW/underwater worms, too. Cali Red-Wrigglers are pretty drown-tolerant if I remember correctly.
Alt.: rooted plants should put O2 into the dirt, which may keep methane from forming in a problematic way... somebody please correct me if that's not correct.
Yes, shallower sand will breath & shift better than deeper, which may also compact & layer.
Alt.: give it a stir with a stick every couple of weeks to shake the bubbles out.
Alt: when you put water back in after water-change - splash it harder than normal so it gets into the bottom, or use a hose. It doesn't take much to shift.
Alt.: MTS and/or loaches and/or eartheaters will keep it moving and/or stirred. Younger eels that self-bury, also. Cichlids like to dig & landscape, also.
Alt.: feed live tubifex & actively bury a few into the bottom where they'll do their thing, including making passages for methane to move/escape. There are other FW/underwater worms, too. Cali Red-Wrigglers are pretty drown-tolerant if I remember correctly.
Alt.: rooted plants should put O2 into the dirt, which may keep methane from forming in a problematic way... somebody please correct me if that's not correct.
Yes, shallower sand will breath & shift better than deeper, which may also compact & layer.
Depending on your filtration you may not even need to gravel vac. I just drop the hose in and let it drain during water changes.
Sand is very easy to maintain. Even when there is some debris it will most likely settle in one or two areas.
As far as stirring things up dont stress it the polys will handle that for you lol
Sand is very easy to maintain. Even when there is some debris it will most likely settle in one or two areas.
As far as stirring things up dont stress it the polys will handle that for you lol
Depends on the sand. In my 70 gal with "large" sand I just stir it all up before siphoning the tank. That way either the pipe or filter catches much of the debris. In a smaller tank with flourite sand (super fine) the nerite snail poop all just sits on top, easy to siphon but ghastly to look at. Sand is very easy to maintain regardless 