Cleaning Sand

[Koppriecht]

I have sand substrate instead of gravel but when I try to clean it it gets sucked into the siphon and clogs the hose. My problem right now is murky water after doing a 75% water change. I assume it is the gravel making the water cloudy. I cleaned my Marineland canister filter on my 110 gal tank also so I don't think that is the problem. All the rocks were taken out incase it was algae. Not sure what else it could be.

 

[PNWaquarist]

Did you wash the clay out of the sand before adding it to your tank? If not, that is likely the murky material.

The nice thing about sand is that most detritus stays on the top. You don't have to aggressively vacuum under the surface like you do with gravel. If you run the gravel vac a half inch or so above the sand, you'll be able to get most of the detritus.

 

[Koppriecht]

Thanks for the tips on cleaning the sand. I don't think it is clay though. I have had the tank with sand in it for almost 5 months with clear water.

 

[amyb_70]

sand substrate

Thanks for the tips on cleaning the sand. I don't think it is clay though. I have had the tank with sand in it for almost 5 months with clear water.

I have sand in one of my aquariums. although i think it looks great i hate that i can not use live plants. i have had the sand about 6 months myself and today i started to remove the sand and will have a bare bottom until i decide what we are going to do with this little tank. anyway, as the other fellow said, hold the siphon about half inch above the sand at an angle (if you have the vacuum attachment use that too. you will surely get a little sand when you clean but not really enough to say it makes a difference. I am a clean freak so I would fold the sand every 3-4 weeks. not sure if it really made a difference, but i think the BB does get down in the sand also. simple movement such as the filter, using your net, adding decor, all moves the sand allowing debris to get down below. im sure it also make a huge differance what kind of fish you are keeping, if they can handle you folding the sand. or you can do a small section each week when you do PWC. Of course these are thing i have learned IME and IMO.. not saying its right or wrong. someone will jump in if im off base, i hope..

 

[PNWaquarist]

I have sand in one of my aquariums. although i think it looks great i hate that i can not use live plants.

Is there a reason why you can't use live plants with a sand substrate?

 

[NigelK8485]

I have live plants in my sand. I just supplement with root tabs under them.


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[NigelK8485]

Also, like others have said, just hover the vacuum above the sand. You'll figure out the distance to hold it and it'll become natural the more you do it. I rake through the sand with my fingers every water change to prevent the buildup of gas pockets in the sand that can become toxic to your fish. As far as it being cloudy, add a polishing pad to your filter and/or use one of the water clarifies that clump loose particles together and make them easier for the filter to take in. When I set up my tank with pool filter sand I used the water clarifier and within 24 hours it was clear. When you're pouring new water in try to pour it over a plate or a decoration so you don't kick up sand.


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[amyb_70]

Is there a reason why you can't use live plants with a sand substrate?

Hi, I was told that my plants were dying due to being in sand. That the sand doesn't have air pockets like gravel, hence not giving the roots what they need


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Mattfinn]

Hi, I was told that my plants were dying due to being in sand. That the sand doesn't have air pockets like gravel, hence not giving the roots what they need


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

Plants don't use oxygen. Well remotely. Photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide. Plants produce oxygen...
People generally say sand is not good for live plants because it offers no nutrients. Neither does gravel....sand is much easier to plant and maintain then gravel. You just have to add root tabs or dose some sort of fertilizer for the plants.

 

[Coursair]

I love my sand tanks [emoji106]


Decent light
Ferts
Root tabs
Water changes

Those grow plants. Sand is easier to plant in. And if you add root tabs for Swords and Crypts they grow great.



Smoke signals from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[amyb_70]

Well I guess this goes to show how important good lighting is. I agree plants were much easier to to plant and keep in place in the sand. Now why would I have believed that about sand, dirt is very similar. Thank you both for the correction and letting me know where the mistakes were being made. I may have had strong light plants, in very low light.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[PNWaquarist]

Hi, I was told that my plants were dying due to being in sand. That the sand doesn't have air pockets like gravel, hence not giving the roots what they need

Do these plants have rhizomes instead of roots? Because rhizomes definitely need oxygen to live. I "plant" my Java Ferns only about 0.5-0.75" below the surface of my sand and surround them with pebbles to anchor them in place. I also have a larger-grain sand, so that probably helps. Then again, the LFS from where I purchase keeps them in a finer sand and they do fine there.

Not all plants need tabs/ferts. In addition to Java Fern, I also grow Hornwort, Crypt. spiralis, Crypt. wendtii 'Bronze', and Staurogyne repens. I don't supplement any of these.

 

[amyb_70]

Do these plants have rhizomes instead of roots? Because rhizomes definitely need oxygen to live. I "plant" my Java Ferns only about 0.5-0.75" below the surface of my sand and surround them with pebbles to anchor them in place. I also have a larger-grain sand, so that probably helps. Then again, the LFS from where I purchase keeps them in a finer sand and they do fine there.



Not all plants need tabs/ferts. In addition to Java Fern, I also grow Hornwort, Crypt. spiralis, Crypt. wendtii 'Bronze', and Staurogyne repens. I don't supplement any of these.

Ok not to sound super dumb but what is rhizomes? The plants I tried at the time were; anacharis, whisteria, java moss, I added bamboo a few months ago and that did ok I did as you did with the pebbles. The whisteria never grew or died just stayed tiny. Anacharis looked nasty, moss turned brownish. Keep in mind I'm new, less than a year at the hobby. I tried all of those months ago except the bamboo. I gave up because the plants are so expensive here, I can't afford to buy to watch them die. The last attempt I added the pebbles to anchor them in hopes that would help.
I'm in the process of taking the sand out and hopeful to get decent substrate and different fish.
I am hoping the new ones do well in my other tank.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[AnthonyDuong]

Ok not to sound super dumb but what is rhizomes? The plants I tried at the time were; anacharis, whisteria, java moss, I added bamboo a few months ago and that did ok I did as you did with the pebbles...

Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

For example if you look at the anacharis it has rhizomes. It's the bottom part of the plant where the leaves and roots stem out from.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Coursair]

For example if you look at the anacharis it has rhizomes. It's the bottom part of the plant where the leaves and roots stem out from.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

You mean Anubias.
A rhizome is the thick horizontal root that the leaves and small roots grow out of.

Anubias
Java Ferns
Bolbitis all have rhizomes. Don't bury the rhizome. We tie or glue most of these to wood or rocks.

http://youtu.be/ZvIYKgu9hk0


Smoke signals from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[AnthonyDuong]

^^ yes I did


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[amyb_70]

Thank you all for clarifying this for me and explaining it where it's easy to understand.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

 

[Coursair]

[emoji106][emoji2][emoji226][emoji225][emoji228]


Smoke signals from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[amydaveg]

Did you wash the clay out of the sand before adding it to your tank? If not, that is likely the murky material.

The nice thing about sand is that most detritus stays on the top. You don't have to aggressively vacuum under the surface like you do with gravel. If you run the gravel vac a half inch or so above the sand, you'll be able to get most of the detritus.

When you say gravel vac , do you mean a siphon. If not can you send a link to what you are taking about. I use a siphon and it gets more sand than debris

 

[Fresh2o]

Wow, this is an OLD post you are replying to.
To answer your question, the person is referring to a gravel vacuum. A clear, wide (2-4") cylinder attached to a siphon. When pushed into the substrate, the larger diameter of the cylinder allows for gravel to be lifted and tumbled a few inches but not sucked up into the siphon hose. The debris, which is lighter than the gravel, is separated from the gravel.
Unfortunately due to its light weight, sand cannot be cleaned in the same manner as with gravel. The end of the gravel vac is positioned slightly OVER the sand allowing it to remove the debris present on the sand's surface without disturbing the sand.



Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice