# Cleaning advice pls .. under piled up rocks



## n00pster (May 14, 2010)

How often do you move around rocks to clean the tank completely? I do it every week because each time I look under a pile rocks I find a lot of poo collected. But I dont think I should be doing this, disturbing the landscape so often.

Do you think it would be all right if I clean under rocks only once in say 1 month? I don't know how bad the water quality will become.

All your suggestions are welcome.

(I have a 55g with aragonite sand substrate and different types of rocks)


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

The best idea I was given and what I do is put your rocks in first and then the substrate. That way there is nothing to clean under the rocks and you never have to move them.

Use a turkey baster to blast debris out of the rock piles and around the edges.


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## n00pster (May 14, 2010)

hmm.. I didnt want an egg crate in the aquarium. that is why I didnt put the rocks in first. Further I started with much less rocks and slowly kept adding rocks to my rock pile. I keep checking the rock collection at LFS every other week for new stock of rocks.

Yeah around the edges of rocks at the bottom (on the sand) is where the dirt gets collected. I will give the turkey baster a try but I think it will blow up my aragonite sand and cloud the water. But looks like thats the best method I have till now 

Thanks DJRansome


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## DrgRcr (Jun 23, 2009)

I use my hand to gently "wave" behind the rocks. It pushes alot of stuff out and then I just syphon it with the python. Same concept as the turkey baster, which I tried also. I just had a hard time seeing exactly which way I had the baster turned because I had a 90 degree elbow and short piece of tubing on the end.

Also, if possible, you can adjust the outflow of your filter(s) and see if it changes where the waste settles. I find that most of the waste in my tank is always in 2 or 3 spots.


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## aquariam (Feb 11, 2010)

DrgRcr said:


> I use my hand to gently "wave" behind the rocks. It pushes alot of stuff out and then I just syphon it with the python. Same concept as the turkey baster, which I tried also. I just had a hard time seeing exactly which way I had the baster turned because I had a 90 degree elbow and short piece of tubing on the end.
> 
> Also, if possible, you can adjust the outflow of your filter(s) and see if it changes where the waste settles. I find that most of the waste in my tank is always in 2 or 3 spots.


+1

If concenred get a really good "Jet" powerhead and move it around aiming into your rocks. Like a reverse vaccuum. Suck up the poo that comes out.

Even after five years, you never NEED to take all your rocks out and clean. At all.


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## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

I try to direct all off the filter outputs, powerheads, etc. in a way that prevents anything from gathering behind or under the rocks. I used to have a reef tank with a power strip that would alternate the power to a pair of powerheads so that the currents were changing periodically.... now if I could only find where I put the darn thing the last time I moved


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## n00pster (May 14, 2010)

kingdave said:


> I try to direct all off the filter outputs, powerheads, etc. in a way that prevents anything from gathering behind or under the rocks. I used to have a reef tank with a power strip that would alternate the power to a pair of powerheads so that the currents were changing periodically.... now if I could only find where I put the darn thing the last time I moved


Cool.. a reef tank.. hmm.. thats my retirement plan.  I love it but got no time for it now..

I got my maxijet 1200 today.. will put it in the tank tomorrow. I am planning on keeping it at the bottom of the tank and aimed at the rocks. Maybe that will prevent poop from gathering at the edges of rocks like you said. Do you have any suggestions for placing the powerhead? Also am not planning on using that air hose for the air bubbles, not a big fan of air bubbles floating around. Unless air bubbles are useful.. anyone?


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## kingdave (Mar 9, 2007)

I have my powerhead positioned so that it hits the front glass first, then swirls around to the bottom and then into the rocks. This keeps from blasting the rocks ( and fish in the rocks) directly with the strong current, but is still effective in keeping the poop from settling.

I also recently added a big synodontis eupterus to the tank and it's like having a big feather duster constantly cruising around and through the rocks, preventing detritus from settling there.


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## Acorn27 (Sep 1, 2009)

A small turkey baster to squirt water under and around rocks works well. You can position your suction near the other side to catch the debris as you blast it out too.


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