Sand and Poop

[Kimlafeiet]

K.....so I need some insight. I rescaped my 55g last week and went from gravel to black sand. I knew I would "see" more poop due to it not falling into the gravel, but this is insane. I feel like there is crap EVERYWHERE!!!

It probably doesnt help that I am super anal about a clean tank, and do weekly 50% pwc's religiously but has anyone else been totally disgusted with all the poop after switching to sand?

Any tips or tricks to keep the tank looking tidier? I am seriously considering breaking this puppy down and putting the gravel back in it. Arrrrgggg!!

 

[Convict2161]

I'm very OCD I use a power head or help keep poop from settling on the sand. Seems to the trick!

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Does the poop just get sucked into the filter with the powerhead?
I am just so grossed out. The poop is getting stuck inte fake plants too, so I just see it everywhere. I actually just did a pwc tonight (3 days early) because I couldnt stand to look at it anymore. I did a good poop vaccume over the sand with my python, and evn after all that, I swear I still see it all over. Ugh.
I have good filtration too, a canister (eheim 2215) and an hob (aqua clear 50)

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Eventually all the fake plants will be replaced with real, but I am swapping them out a little at a time. I was planning to get some bacopa and hornwort, but the way this crap is sticking to the fake plants, I cant imagine how it would gunk up real ones.

 

[armymp327]

i do 2 pwc water changes a week at 25% for this reason, if you dont want to do that, look into one of the battery gravel vacs, that vaccum everything it a bag inside the tank, so all the poop gets collected but no water is taken out, good for cleaning in between PWC

 

[MMantelli]

+1 on what Convict said get a powerhead. I had the same problem in my 55 for awhile so I got a 900 gph circulation pump/wavemaker 3 months ago and have only had to actually vaccum my sand once or twice since. I set my flow to go from my top right front--->my bottom left front--->top left back--->bottom back right--->top right front. Or if you live in the southern hemisphere you can reverse the direction. (in a lil ocd about those stupid things)

 

[owen0992]

I'm with you on this one. Not happy with my sand. I had black in a 10 but it looked too messy with the poop and my 50 with play sand is eh.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Well it is better to be on the top, so you can suck it out. When it gets under the gravel it rots and turns into bad stuff!

 

[MMantelli]

Well it is better to be on the top, so you can suck it out. When it gets under the gravel it rots and turns into bad stuff!

+1 on that I'm not a fan of gravel. It took me a little used to to get the hang of cleaning sand but once I did I loved it so much more than gravel.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

I agree, I am not a huge fan of gravel either.....it reminds me of carpet, even though you can't see the crud in it, and you vaccume, there's still crap down in there, lol.
I have a goldie tank with pfs, and while there is more poop in that tank too, it seems soooo much less than this tank, and the filter does a pretty good job.

I think I am going to invest in a gravel vac for between pwc's, and possibly a powerhead.
Leaning toward the eheim gravel vac, anyone use it? How well does it work?

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Also,
Do you use pre-filters? Does it help with all the poop getting into the filters and clogging up the system? I am already noticing all the crud gumming up my hob, I cant imagine what my canister is looking like.........

 

[MMantelli]

I agree, I am not a huge fan of gravel either.....it reminds me of carpet, even though you can't see the crud in it, and you vaccume, there's still crap down in there, lol.
I have a goldie tank with pfs, and while there is more poop in that tank too, it seems soooo much less than this tank, and the filter does a pretty good job.

I think I am going to invest in a gravel vac for between pwc's, and possibly a powerhead.
Leaning toward the eheim gravel vac, anyone use it? How well does it work?

You did say this was a new setup? I experienced kind of a substrate poo buildup cycle I guess I would call it. It happened a month after I cycled the tank all of a sudden the substrate was layered in detritus even though I vaccumed it every week but once I got it manageable by doing daily 10% pwc by way of a diy gravel vac and put good current in there I haven't even had to vaccum but a couple times and it been months since. Good luck though.

And no I don't use pre filters. But I have heard they help some. Mabey someone that uses them will chime in.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Thanks. I am hoping it is extra poopy just because it is a new set-up, and possbily over poopy fish from the stress of everything.
Hopefully they will calm down. I am cutting thier feeding a little more too to help

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Update:
Still lots of poop. Gotta say....not lovin' it.
I did another pwc yesterday, vaccumed well, and today, lots of poop. I think I am just being hyper sensitive to it becuase I know its there, so I see it everywhere. I have removed a few of the fake plants that seem to really hold onto it.
I also cleaned my filter pipes to see if I could get better suction/flow, which I think it has, and I added a pre-filter to the intake, which is now covered in poo. While its nice to see it IS working, I think I am going to remove the pre-filter because now all of the poo is still in the tank. Arg.
Also, I dont think my siphon suction is as strong as I would like.....the only faucet it will connect to im my house is the bathroom sink, which is fine, but I think that smaller faucet limits my suction power,

I am going o buy either a good gravel vacume that doesnt remove water for in-between cleanings or a powerhead to help push the poop to the filter inake. Probably both.

WHAT POWERHEAD SHOULD I GO WITH? I admit I am totally clueless about them. Its a 55 gallon standard tank, boesmani and irian rainbows, glass catfish, 1 angelfish and eventually my dojo loaches. Will be moderately planted over time.

 

[93MSB]

I have sand and also have poop everywhere. Ive been doing a lot of experimenting with different input/output setups on my canister filter.

The best thing i did was ditch the spraybar and went with the "duckbill" style output. It creates a kind of whirlpool effect and it literally picks up detritus off the bottom. Its not perfect but it helps a lot. Ill try to remember to take some pics of what i have so far at lunch and post up here

 

[MMantelli]

Update:
Still lots of poop. Gotta say....not lovin' it.
I did another pwc yesterday, vaccumed well, and today, lots of poop. I think I am just being hyper sensitive to it becuase I know its there, so I see it everywhere. I have removed a few of the fake plants that seem to really hold onto it.
I also cleaned my filter pipes to see if I could get better suction/flow, which I think it has, and I added a pre-filter to the intake, which is now covered in poo. While its nice to see it IS working, I think I am going to remove the pre-filter because now all of the poo is still in the tank. Arg.
Also, I dont think my siphon suction is as strong as I would like.....the only faucet it will connect to im my house is the bathroom sink, which is fine, but I think that smaller faucet limits my suction power,

I am going o buy either a good gravel vacume that doesnt remove water for in-between cleanings or a powerhead to help push the poop to the filter inake. Probably both.

WHAT POWERHEAD SHOULD I GO WITH? I admit I am totally clueless about them. Its a 55 gallon standard tank, boesmani and irian rainbows, glass catfish, 1 angelfish and eventually my dojo loaches. Will be moderately planted over time.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004F461UA/ref=aw_d_var_2nd_pet-supplies_img?vs=1

If u don't have plants this will work good if you do end up with plants I would go with the next size or two smaller bit this is a quality brand. If you don't feel like spending that much there are many other options.

 

[93MSB]

ok the links below have pics of my setup I was talking about. It basically follows the same principles that Amano uses on his ADA tanks with the lily pipe. I am still experimenting with the placement and spacing on the intake & output.

i went from vacuuming daily to now once a week, a powerhead would probably do an even better job, but this keeps from having all that equipment in the tank

the tank is a 55gal (48"x13") and i have an eheim 2076

http://imageshack.us/a/img194/1006/img1447hm.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img19/299/img1448u.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img33/3685/img1449oh.jpg

 

[Kimlafeiet]

ok the links below have pics of my setup I was talking about. It basically follows the same principles that Amano uses on his ADA tanks with the lily pipe. I am still experimenting with the placement and spacing on the intake & output.

i went from vacuuming daily to now once a week, a powerhead would probably do an even better job, but this keeps from having all that equipment in the tank

the tank is a 55gal (48"x13") and i have an eheim 2076

http://imageshack.us/a/img194/1006/img1447hm.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img19/299/img1448u.jpg
http://imageshack.us/a/img33/3685/img1449oh.jpg

Ok.....I see what you mean by the duckbill vs spraybar. Question, is your intake right there next to your outflow? Does the flow just circle the tank? I like the idea.......... mine are currently on opposite sides, the intake on the left rear corner, spraybar at the top right back wall.

 

[Kimlafeiet]

Mantelli,
I do plan on planting fairly moderately, so I probably need to go a size or two down.......
Sorry to sound like a total idiot, but apx what gph shoud I be looking to go with? Not too concerened with price, I would rather buy quality now than have to replace crap later
Also, where would one put this in a tank? I was thinking on the right rear back corner, maybe facing the front glass at an angle to push it to the far end and into the back. Thoughts? Totally willing to move the intake and spraybar placement if needed.

 

[93MSB]

Ok.....I see what you mean by the duckbill vs spraybar. Question, is your intake right there next to your outflow? Does the flow just circle the tank? I like the idea.......... mine are currently on opposite sides, the intake on the left rear corner, spraybar at the top right back wall.

Correct, the idea is to create a circular flow. You can google "ADA aquariums" and you can look at the placement of his intake/output

My intake and output are right next to each other. I am going to experiment with the spacing more so they are not right next to each other and see how that works.

you could try moving your spraybar and intake to the same end of the tank. Make sure the spraybar is vertical and blowing straight across the back