Sand?

Blaxicanlatino

Im getting a new 10 gallon tank soon and I want to use sand as the substrate. How do you clean it? I mean, when i use grave, i just plunge the siphone tube into the gravel but how do i do so wtih sand?

1077

That is part of the beauty with sand substrate. The fish poo or detrius remains on the surface rather than falling down into the gravel so it is not necessary to shove the python or syphon into the sand. I Just hover slightly over the surface while vaccuming. If you start to suck up sand just raise the syphon up a little. I have also attached a plastic fork to the end of the syphon not too short or too long and this allows me to gently stir the gravel while I am vaccuming.

aunt kymmie

A plastic fork attached to the end? What a great idea!
Looking forward to doing just that on my next w/c.
Good tip!!!

Kim

Yeah, besides cleaning it you also have to stir it to get rid of gas bubbles.

willow

try and get some MTS snails,they will help to
turn the sand for you.

Blaxicanlatino

But how do i keep th bacteria from becoming anarobic? How do i add sand when there water already in? last be not least...in your opinion, why should I use sand? do I have to use and undergravel filter or somethin?

willow

hi
by stiring the sand.it's only when the sand is not disturbed like
under decorations this will happen,and in corners of the tank
where there is no movement,that's where the snails can help,
they will travel through the sand and help to keep it from this
problem,stiring on water change days will help too.
you don't have to use sand,why do you feel this ?
you don't need and under gravel filter either.
if you empty the tank of everything then you can put
the clean sand into the tank.
and when the sand is in the tank,on water change days all you
need to do is keep the gravel clearner above the sand,so it just picks up
the muck on the surface,takes a little practice,but you'll get the hang of it
after a couple of tries.
:)

1077

+1 for what willow said. Also you will want to wash the sand really well before you put it in the tank. Just as you would gravel. You can use a large rubbermaid tub it makes it a little easier.

iamntbatman

After rinsing the sand really well, you can add it to a tank that's already got water in it by just gently scooping some up and pouring it on the bottom as gently as possible. Your water might still cloud up a little, but it should clear up after a day or two.

Sand is great because play sand is so cheap, plus it looks fantastic. It's also great if you have any sort of burrowing or bottom-dwelling fish, like loaches or cories. Anaerobic bacteria start growing when there's no oxygen in that part of the sand bed. As willow said, stirring the sand prevents these "dead spots" from forming so that you avoid the problem. Also, you can't use an under-gravel filter at all with sand, as it's too compact and the filter won't work.

SheyFirestar

actually there is a way to add the sand very very neatly. after you move your gravel out of the tank. take a ziplock bag and get it full of your sand and just lower it to the bottom gently and pour the sand out from a few inches above the bottom. youll get very little of it floating around. thats how i converted mine and it went really well. also turn off your filter when your pouring sand in.

btw i know i read this trick on here somewhere. mad kudos to the person who posted it.