Gravel vacuum tricks

[BettaGal]

Every time I use the vacuum in my tank, which has sand substrate, I can never get all the fish poop sucked up, and then when I add the fresh water in, all that I missed goes flying all over the tank. It's the most annoying part of this tank for me, seeing more fish poop flying after I just spent however long I spent vacuuming their litter box to clean it up. Yes, my fish have a litter box: they all go to one small area to do it. Do you guys have any tried and true secrets or tricks to help me out?

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Every time I use the vacuum in my tank, which has sand substrate, I can never get all the fish poop sucked up, and then when I add the fresh water in, all that I missed goes flying all over the tank. It's the most annoying part of this tank for me, seeing more fish poop flying after I just spent however long I spent vacuuming their litter box to clean it up. Yes, my fish have a litter box: they all go to one small area to do it. Do you guys have any tried and true secrets or tricks to help me out?

Just so you know, I have gravel and no matter how much I stir up my gravel and move rocks around, I never get all the poop and junk out either. I honestly think its next to impossible to get it all. I know it's annoying after a water change to have all that junk floating around but it will settle, it just takes time.

 

[clearancepuppy]

I have sand and use a small gravel cleaner without an end on it. I tilt it at a slight angle and if (I mean when) sand goes up I just leave that at the bottom of the container I am siphoning into. I also have one of those nifty grabber things the elderly use to extend their reach. I grasp the tube with it and guide it slowly along the sand surface. Then I dump any sand back in. I used to stress about the sand going into the tube. You'll get better with practice.

 

[BettaGal]

Just so you know, I have gravel and no matter how much I stir up my gravel and move rocks around, I never get all the poop and junk out either. I honestly think its next to impossible to get it all. I know it's annoying after a water change to have all that junk floating around but it will settle, it just takes time.

I just did a water change and only got maybe half the crap up. I get to do another one just to clean up that mess. It gets more annoying when right after it settles, the Cory cats go over there and sift it all back up. I really need a better method. Somebody should invent a thing that sits under maybe a quarter inch of sand in their litter box and when it gets gross, I can just lift a ton of it out. The sand can fall through and the poop can stay. That would be wonderful.

 

[BettaGal]

I have sand and use a small gravel cleaner without an end on it. I tilt it at a slight angle and if (I mean when) sand goes up I just leave that at the bottom of the container I am siphoning into. I also have one of those nifty grabber things the elderly use to extend their reach. I grasp the tube with it and guide it slowly along the sand surface. Then I dump any sand back in. I used to stress about the sand going into the tube. You'll get better with practice.

I don't really stress about sucking some sand up. I added too much when I put it in, and I never manage to suck up a ton of it. I just need a trick to get more cleaned up. It's nasty.

 

[clearancepuppy]

I would suggest doing smaller more frequent vacuuming.

Forgot another little trick of mine... Using the fish net to sift the sand during spot checks.

 

[BettaGal]

I would suggest doing smaller more frequent vacuuming.

Forgot another little trick of mine... Using the fish net to sift the sand during spot checks.

I vacuum at least once a day, sometimes more, just for the poop. I can try the fish net.

 

[tropicalfishlady]

hello

Every time I use the vacuum in my tank, which has sand substrate, I can never get all the fish poop sucked up, and then when I add the fresh water in, all that I missed goes flying all over the tank. It's the most annoying part of this tank for me, seeing more fish poop flying after I just spent however long I spent vacuuming their litter box to clean it up. Yes, my fish have a litter box: they all go to one small area to do it. Do you guys have any tried and true secrets or tricks to help me out?

I saw a video on youtube about vaccuming sand and it works ok ill try and put the link up :
Aquarium Maintenance - How to Clean a Fish Tank - YouTube

 

[d_flo_yo]

What about this little gadget, the cobalt aquatics power gravel cleaner... http://youtu.be/dBfBbnHDL5A

I think petco sells a power vac that sucks up the gravel and spits the water back into the tank too.

 

[BettaGal]

I want to save up for a python soon, but as for that gadget, I have sand. Once I have my own place and research what all I need for the cichlid tank I want, I will use gravel. Sand, at least for me, is a pain to clean. I always get sand sucked up and never get a decent percentage of poop.

 

[d_flo_yo]

Oh whoops! Didn't think about the sand issue. My Bad.

 

[BettaGal]

Oh whoops! Didn't think about the sand issue. My Bad.

It's cool. I'm up for anything to help. I'll probably be back to asking just as many similar questions when I'm ready for a cichlid tank since all I know is they're super cool fish that I want one day.