How often...

[Sidman24]

Do you guys ( if at all ) move your decor, wood, etc... To clean underneath them? I'm sure that's where most of the leftover food and waste gets trapped right? I never see waste on my substrate so I'm assuming that's where it goes... I do a water change once a week and clean out the filters with tank water about once a month, maybe two. But have never done a total clean moving all my stuff. Is this necessary? Thanks for tips and advice!

Also, I use a python and it's not strong enough to suck up the waste I can notice on the sand. So usually it just takes out water from the top when I do water changes.

 

[Ewokbuns]

I do that alot. When I had gravel I used to move the gravel around to get the gunk into the water so the filter could get it..

 

[Sidman24]

I do that alot. When I had gravel I used to move the gravel around to get the gunk into the water so the filter could get it..

Well with sand you can't really do that... Gotta just hover over the top, and if rocks and stuff are in the way you can't really do anything

 

[Ewokbuns]

Well with sand you can't really do that... Gotta just hover over the top, and if rocks and stuff are in the way you can't really do anything

Yea i have sand now and my just use basin to skim the top.

 

[bmckee727]

Hi, I do lift wood up every other time I clean. Hence (other), I clean biweekly so once a month I move rocks,wood,etc.. And do a thorough cleaning. You would be surprised at the buildup underneath, plus in the big tank I have an Oscar (Melvin) that enjoys biting me while cleaning

 

[Malupoo]

I use to do almost weekly with my sa cichlid tank. More for curbing territories than cleaning. But once you move it may as well clean it.

 

[Toad]

I had driftwood, the pieces that weren't attached to slate would just roll aside and I'd Hoover under them, with a BN I found a LOT of crap under his favorite spot. I did this pretty much every water change/vac but I had sand which was easy. I never scrub my decor unless its full of algae, and with driftwood I don't even bother lol.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Never to "clean". But when I do feel like doing some rearranging to the decor I definitely make it a point to clean under those spots. Maybe once every month or two.

 

[wildroseofky]

I clean under decor about every two weeks. You can clean the sand by taking a long wooden chopstick or something like that and gently stir the surface of the sand. I do that with one hand and hold the vac with the other. I use a battery vac and try not to suck up too much sand.

 

[bmckee727]

I clean under decor about every two weeks. You can clean the sand by taking a long wooden chopstick or something like that and gently stir the surface of the sand. I do that with one hand and hold the vac with the other. I use a battery vac and try not to suck up too much sand.

Good point, to add to that I might suggest tying a fork to the end of the siphon. You can stir while you vac. That has helped me out alot with sand I've had in the past.

 

[gilpi]

Do you guys ( if at all ) move your decor, wood, etc... To clean underneath them? I'm sure that's where most of the leftover food and waste gets trapped right? I never see waste on my substrate so I'm assuming that's where it goes... I do a water change once a week and clean out the filters with tank water about once a month, maybe two. But have never done a total clean moving all my stuff. Is this necessary? Thanks for tips and advice!

Also, I use a python and it's not strong enough to suck up the waste I can notice on the sand. So usually it just takes out water from the top when I do water changes.

Regarding your filter... do not over clean your filter. I personally don't clean filters in months or when I see the flow starts slowing down.
Don't over feed.

 

[flitabout]

It really depends on the tank. I have a heavily planted dirted tank so unless I am doing a rescape I never move to clean under anything. But went I just had the gravel I did it every time I did a water change.