What do you use to clean your sand?

[mr11]

I have one of those siphon vacuum from petco and it clogs almost instants when I try to clean my sand. What do you guys use? 

 

I have a thick almost hair algae like algae growing on my sand since I set up the new tank. I'm on day 2 of a blackout but I don't have high hopes. 

 

Thanks

[ridetheducati]

Add a ball valve to the siphon to manage flow.

[sen5241b]

When I upgraded to a 29g, I took all the old sand in a pail, added fresh mixed salt water, stirred it and it turned an ugly, cloudy gray color. I poured off the muddy gray water and added more and repeated until the water was clear. Detritus does build up in the sand and can cause problems. If you don't want to break down your tank you can try stirring up small sections of the sand to release detritus while running good filtration then wait a few days, test for trates and stir another section. I've used this method a lot and it helped.

[Origami]

How big is the tubing coming off of your siphon? If it's too narrow, then it'll clog up easily. The one that I have is 1/2" (inside diameter). The business end of the siphon is at least 2" across and about 15" long. I control the flow rate through the device by pinching the tubing with my fingers, however you could do the same with a valve. 

[mr11]

Thanks for the feedback. Stirring small sections at a time might work. If I vacuum out the top layer, I can was it and put it back in the tank? 

 

It's a small siphon, like maybe 1/4" and has a plastic filter between the wide diameter mouth and the narrow tube. It looks like the attached picture except with a squeeze ball to start the siphon. I think I need something more robust. 

 

 

[Jeskay14]

When I upgraded to a 29g, I took all the old sand in a pail, added fresh mixed salt water, stirred it and it turned an ugly, cloudy gray color. I poured off the muddy gray water and added more and repeated until the water was clear. Detritus does build up in the sand and can cause problems. If you don't want to break down your tank you can try stirring up small sections of the sand to release detritus while running good filtration then wait a few days, test for trates and stir another section. I've used this method a lot and it helped.

what sort of problems can not cleaning sand enough be?

 

 

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[L8 2 RISE]

How big is the tubing coming off of your siphon? If it's too narrow, then it'll clog up easily. The one that I have is 1/2" (inside diameter). The business end of the siphon is at least 2" across and about 15" long. I control the flow rate through the device by pinching the tubing with my fingers, however you could do the same with a valve.

This. Big tube and then control flow by bending/pinching it with your free hand.

Edited October 18, 2016 by L8 2 RISE

[Origami]

Thanks for the feedback. Stirring small sections at a time might work. If I vacuum out the top layer, I can was it and put it back in the tank? 

 

It's a small siphon, like maybe 1/4" and has a plastic filter between the wide diameter mouth and the narrow tube. It looks like the attached picture except with a squeeze ball to start the siphon. I think I need something more robust. 

I have this also in stuff that I have. It's pretty much useless in the situation you're describing. It'll clog in a heartbeat.

[sethsolomon]

I use Nassarius snails, cerith snails, sand sifting starfish, conches, and proper waterflow. 

[madweazl]

How big is the tubing coming off of your siphon? If it's too narrow, then it'll clog up easily. The one that I have is 1/2" (inside diameter). The business end of the siphon is at least 2" across and about 15" long. I control the flow rate through the device by pinching the tubing with my fingers, however you could do the same with a valve. 

I do it the same way; pull the sand half way up the vacuum and let it clean out. Rinse and repeat.

[davelin315]

Good ideas all, I would suggest a combination.  Algae can get consumed by something that will eat it (a conch is a great addition if you have a big enough tank) and then have some sand stirrers as well like nassarius and cerith snails (ceriths will also graze on film algae).  If you can add a sand sifting fish like a watchman or diamond goby they'll also clean up your sand bed well but you need to have a well seasoned sand bed coated with biofilm.

 

In my old 300 that had a 4-5" bed of sugar fine sand (oolitic, very light) and I had 2 queen conchs, a bunch of sand bed snails, and multiple fish that grazed off the sand or sifted the sand.

[sen5241b]

what sort of problems can not cleaning sand enough be?

 

 

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I've heard more than one story about older sand beds getting stirred up in a major way and causing a cycle that killed everything in the tank.