# Cleaning sand



## CarlaW (Aug 31, 2013)

So... I'm new to the cichlid world .. I used sand instead of gravel and I love the look. My question is... What is the easiest way to clean my tank? I'm worried about the sand being sucked up... I'm sure it's a silly question. But y'all have lots of knowledge. Thank you in advance!!!!


----------



## CarlaW (Aug 31, 2013)

Ok y'all... What did I say or do wrong on this post?? Even if it's a dumb question... I still need to know what everyone else is doing... I have lots of garbage gathered around the edges of my rocks... Please help


----------



## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

You may have to wait a day or more for a response. There is a video in the Cichlid-forum Library on cleaning sand. Basically you hover the Python above the sand and agitate the sand with your hand.


----------



## philipgonzales3 (Dec 4, 2013)

I think cleaning sand is something you have to experiment with to figure out the way that works for you. Or at least I hope so because I haven't got very good at it compared to cleaning the gravel. I believe the best method is to use something like a phython gravel vac or any type of shyphon hose and hold it just above the surface of the sand to pull up the waste and leave the sand behind.

Every once in a whilw you could push the gravel vac into the sand to get waste that is deeper and to stir up the sand a bit. You can control how much suction you have by slightly kinking the hose and I believe any sand sucked up would be minimal.

You could also syphon the sand into a bucket and rinse it and then re-add it but IDK, doubt I would want to do that. Sorry I wasn't much help as I've only had sand for a couple of weeks or so. Are you from Texas?


----------



## CarlaW (Aug 31, 2013)

Thanks y'all! I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling and I guess it is trial and error... 
Nope I'm from Ga but I lived in TX for a few years and loved it! 
Take care!


----------



## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

just saw this -

It is probably more difficult to describe how to clean sand than it is to actually do it. My approach is two fold - using a dowel, my fingers, or other implement, I agitate the sand just prior to a water change. This lets some of the detritus get stirred up and removed via the hose, and the other gets sucked into filters. The second thing I'll do is use a short siphon/gravel vac, where I can hold the end of the hose going into a bucket. Press the siphon into the sand, let it get sucked up into the large tube, plug the end of the hose, letting the sand settle back down. Then unplug the hose to get the dirty water out. It is slow and tedious, but works. I find this deep cleaning is only necessary at one end of my tank due to circulation patterns. If you screw up and sand gets in the bucket, no big deal, simply empty bucket carefully, and replace the sand in the tank.


----------



## Ronzo (Sep 8, 2013)

I'll add my technique and equipment for those interested. I started to use this 20 years ago and continue to this day! First, I made up a gravel washer (probably copying some commercial product I had seen). Mine consists of a 4ft length of garden hose on one end of which I permanently connected just the bottom (not lid) of a 4" transparent cube of a typical bubble powered filter from a 10 gal setup (I suppose a square quart drink bottle would do it too, or the commercial product if you simply want to plunk down your money, and go...).

To use, I hold the (think of an upside down cup with suction hose on top) into tank, start a siphon, and drain into a 5g bucket...yeah old school style, by sucking on it, but I've gotten pretty good at starting that siphon without giving the tank-water a taste-test... You can then insert the clear, square sucking end into the substrate as much or as little as you need, even down to the tank bottom, including agitating it, to completely and very effectively clean it. Don't worry about sucking up any tank inhabitants...they will head for their favorite hiding spot and stay well clear of the monster in the tank!

Nice thing about this setup and use is that the square cornered end gets into corners, and being clear, it allows one to see what is being sucked up (it's not the end of the world if a little gravel gets sucked up, as previous poster notes) and because of the constant suction and flow, you immediately suck away what has been stirred up (and the larger end allows dirty water to flow past and gravel to fall back down), minimizing the cloudiness, instead of stirring it up into the tank and having to watch it while the filter has to take it out which could take hours (this technique works great IMO)...the difference in color of what's in the bucket vs. tank is amazing! Dump the bucket, or better yet, water your houseplants with it...they will thrive!

You can modulate or even stop the siphon flow as bucket gets full with a thumb over the bucket end of hose...and don't forget to power down heater when doing major a major WC, and water level is very low, to prevent it being both dry and powered...that can kill a heater quickly.

Hope that helps.

Cheers from Connecticut!


----------



## SupeDM (Jan 26, 2009)

I use an old magnum 350 cannister filter attatched to a cheapo gravel syphon. Hang the output on the tank then start the syphon to fill cannister. When cannister is full fire it up and it vacuumes filters and replaces water in tank. I wouldn't do this with a new filter as when it does suck up some sand it is very hard on impellor. But I have been using this method with same old POS filter for a long time. I think I paid $5 for it years ago and used $10 worth of silicone and superglue to get it to hold water. Another way is to place a bucket under discharge of python in sink. Sand will stay in bucket water will flow over top.


----------



## Bikeman48088 (Nov 13, 2013)

CarlaW said:


> Ok y'all... What did I say or do wrong on this post?? Even if it's a dumb question... I still need to know what everyone else is doing... I have lots of garbage gathered around the edges of my rocks... Please help


I cobbled together an air-powered vacuum cleaner. I use a 12" piece of 1" clear plastic hard tubing with an angled hole drilled about an 1 1/2" from the base. Then, I attached an airstone to an airline fed through the hole I made so that the airstone is now inside of the clear plastic tube. At the top, I took an old stocking and used a twist tie to hold it in place. 
Once you start bubbling air through the airstone, it starts sucking up debris from the bottom. The stocking fills with air, the water passes through it and the debris is trapped inside. I catch a little sand, too, but that can be dumped out, washed and returned to the tank.


----------

