Another cleaning sand question

[Hholly]

I know you have to stir sand when you clean it. But how about when it's a planted tank? Do you just stir the areas with no plants?

 

[NYgiantsRP]

You dont have to stir the sand. to clean it just use a gravel vac and swirl it above the sand to stir up the poop and what not.

 

[RedFlame]

I have a large and a small water changer/gravel vac (half dollar size and nickel size) I use the smaller tube when going through plants and hard to reach places. The other thing that you can do is use your hand or chopstick to run through the substrate which usually agitates it enough to the point that you can vacuum it out of the water column.

 

[Hholly]

You dont have to stir the sand. to clean it just use a gravel vac and swirl it above the sand to stir up the poop and what not.

I thought you had to stir it to prevent toxic buildup in it.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

The plants roots will aerate the sand and move it about. You don't want to disturb the roots. If your worried only do the clear areas of substrate away from the plants roots.

 

[Hholly]

Ok, thanks! That clarifies matters.