fresh water clean up crew?

[jafoca]

I just set up a 10 gal tank today. I'm keeping 5 sarapi tetras in the tank (cycled with bio spira), and I choose to go with a white sand substrate, because I would like to keep some corys aswell. (3 lined or long nose, i think are the names).

I'm wondering if there is any sort of fresh water clean up crew I can have in this tank to keep the sand looking clean. I know the cories will probably eat "left overs" which drift to the bottom, but I'm seeing some smallish black particles on the sand and I am wondering how to get rid of them. Can i get snales or something like that?

Also my water appears to be a little cloudy compared to my last tank, I'm guessing this is due to the sand settling?

Thanks for the help!

 

[jersysman]

Those smallish black particles wouldn't be poo would it? Weekly cleanings will take care of that. Yes, sand will cloud your water for a few days. The length depends on the type of sand used and also how well it was cleaned before puting into the tank.

 

[rubysoho]

hehe, no amount of clean up crew will take care of the black particles if that is poo. As for the cloudyness, jersysman is correct about the sand in that it takes a few days to settle. But check your water perams as well. I've heard of bio-spira being hit and miss for cycling tanks (depending on how long the fish store had it, what temperatures if was exposed to and stored at, etc...).

 

[jafoca]

ok thats about what i guessed... how do I clean the poo off the top of the sand? I cant seem to find a good discription of how to do it here, and the "search" for this forum is really quite annoying..

Thanks again guys!

 

[krap101]

either you get a like MONSTROSITY of a turkey baster or you get a siphon. i got mine from walmart.

 

[greenmaji]

when using the syphon tube for water changes hover just over the sand and it should suck up the poo for you.. poet and didnt know it..LOL

 

[ace1uno_00]

LMAO @ greenmagi. you crack me up.
Python syphon. The best invention on earth.

 

[krap101]

what about the toilet

 

[Zezmo]

Some ghost shrimp living on the bottom will help as a "clean up" crew.

 

[Blazeherd2306]

But ghost shrimp don't eat poo. jafoca already has cories in the tank, so no need for ghost shrimp.

 

[Zezmo]

lol.... Ghost shrimp do eat poo. But, I remember seeing someone argue this point to death elsewhere. So lets just say, that somehow I have aberrant poop munching ghosties in my tank.

Maybe you just have to feed your fish a good diet for thier poo to be tasty for the shrimp.

 

[greenmaji]

http://www.aquariaplants.com/alqaeproblems.htm

 

[Blazeherd2306]

Interesting....I have not seen any site saying they eat fish poop nor have I seen my shrimp eat any fish poop.

 

[Guest]

I've never had ghost shrimp, but I can't imagine what kind of nutritional value they would get from fish feces. I though only decomposers got rid of waste products.

 

[Guest]

http://www.aquariaplants.com/alqaeproblems.htm

Great link green, thanks. Good read.

 

[id10t]

What kind of bio load would a couple of shrimp put on a tank relative to 3 or 4 corys?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I've had ghost shrimp and have never seen or heard of them eating fish waste.

Are you really attached to the white sand? An alternative would be to mix some black sand with the white. Just sprinkle some ontop of what you have already (after washing of course), then mix it around. It will give it a peppered effect. That's why I do in my tanks and you can't see the fish waste unless you really look for it or it's a big lump of poo. I have some pics in my gallery if you want to see what it looks like. If they aren't clear enough, I can take a couple pics of the sand and post them, if interested.

 

[greenmaji]

http://www.aquariaplants.com/alqaeproblems.htm

Great link green, thanks. Good read.

Steve wrote it!!

 

[Guest]

http://www.aquariaplants.com/alqaeproblems.htm

Great link green, thanks. Good read.

Steve wrote it!!

I have no idea who Steve is, but he did a good job.

 

[greenmaji]

Tony..
Steve Hampton wrote it.. he is one of the members here..