How often do you clean your Bare Bottom?

[G Santana]

As I sit here after having cleaned my bare bottom tank I was thinking of getting a canister filter like I had in the old days. After blowing the detritus off of the rocks every month and then vacuuming the bottom I am left with a haze in the water for a few hours until either the overflow gets it or it settles back down.

I used to have two Magnum filters with pleated micron filters that I ran while I either cleaned the sand or when I vacuumed the bare bottom as I eventually gave up on sand. Those filters were pretty effective at removing freefloating detritus.

Does anyone still run something like that to polish the water and how often do you clean the bottom?

 

[Big Smelly fish]

I just siphon the bottom during water changes, I reall don’t accumulate much anymore, pretty high flow. Have to change out filter socks every 3 or 4 days, seems to collect there.
I haven’t used anything to polish water in years. In 70’s and 80’s I did with a vortex diatom filter. I think PaulB still use them

 

[Idech]

Marineland Maxi jet 1200 with a quick connect filter would do a wonderful job at polishing your water, IMO.

I’ve used it in my 75 gallons and it didn’t take long before the filter turned really brown and dirty. This thing is powerful. And cheap.

It’s noisy (you use it with the venturi) but once it’s cleaned, you turn it off. It will take 1-2 hours probably.

 

[bruno3047]

As I sit here after having cleaned my bare bottom tank I was thinking of getting a canister filter like I had in the old days. After blowing the detritus off of the rocks every month and then vacuuming the bottom I am left with a haze in the water for a few hours until either the overflow gets it or it settles back down.

I used to have two Magnum filters with pleated micron filters that I ran while I either cleaned the sand or when I vacuumed the bare bottom as I eventually gave up on sand. Those filters were pretty effective at removing freefloating detritus.

Does anyone still run something like that to polish the water and how often do you clean the bottom?

I hang a Marineland 300 water polishing filter in the tank (125) while I’m doing my sand bed cleaning every six months or so. Really helps get the crap out of the water before it has a chance to settle back into the sand bed.

 

[Garf]

As I sit here after having cleaned my bare bottom tank I was thinking of getting a canister filter like I had in the old days. After blowing the detritus off of the rocks every month and then vacuuming the bottom I am left with a haze in the water for a few hours until either the overflow gets it or it settles back down.

I used to have two Magnum filters with pleated micron filters that I ran while I either cleaned the sand or when I vacuumed the bare bottom as I eventually gave up on sand. Those filters were pretty effective at removing freefloating detritus.

Does anyone still run something like that to polish the water and how often do you clean the bottom?

I scraped the bottom glass maybe 9 months ago, not touched it since, CUC eats everything. I don’t get any detritus build up either, I’ve got loads of flow.

 

[Joeg]

Is it bad that my first thought was Austin Powers saying "Oh, behave...."?

 

[Doctorgori]

I blow off the rocks and use that Marineland polishing filter …works great

 

[G Santana]

I blow off the rocks and use that Marineland polishing filter …works great

I was looking at that, it seems to be the descendant to the filter I used 32yrs ago.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

It's been 3 months. I haven't yet. Relatively low flow across the bottom as it's primarily a mushroom tank, but I don't get much accumulation either.

 

[Doctorgori]

I was looking at that, it seems to be the descendant to the filter I used 32yrs ago.

I don’t endorse much but this one is a winner, I got extra pleated cartridges and simply exchange them during rock storming …

 

[vetteguy53081]

Bi Monthly

 

[olonmv]

As I sit here after having cleaned my bare bottom tank I was thinking of getting a canister filter like I had in the old days. After blowing the detritus off of the rocks every month and then vacuuming the bottom I am left with a haze in the water for a few hours until either the overflow gets it or it settles back down.

I used to have two Magnum filters with pleated micron filters that I ran while I either cleaned the sand or when I vacuumed the bare bottom as I eventually gave up on sand. Those filters were pretty effective at removing freefloating detritus.

Does anyone still run something like that to polish the water and how often do you clean the bottom?

Made this with a few bucks. I use a 1 micron filter. Vacuum sand while returning filtered water straight to tank. Works like a charm.

 

[workhz]

With the TP shortage of early covid, I decided to buy a bidet. One of my better decisions.

 

[dhnguyen]

I made a vacuum cleaner for my bare bottom tank. It makes quick work of the detritus. It may look a bit ghetto but it works extremely well.

Basically I attached an old MJ1200 pump to a fuel siphon and put a mesh bag at the output to capture detritus while returning the clean water back to the tank. Turn on the pump squeeze the orange bulb a couple times to prime it and it's good to go. I usually vacuum the bottom every few days or when I see detritus start to build up.

 

[GoVols]

During every water change

There are times to ask and times to share.

Today is about sharing.

Have owned the Python No Spill for decades and it's works great with keeping sand beds clean too.


https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/pyth...l?sku=209055&gclid=CNCs747T2OICFb3_4wcdJEEEmw

But, I've been bare bottom for many years and wanted to figure out a "mod" to make life more pleasing on the manner of getting out detritus, while preforming water changes, for the BB floor.

In early 2018 I contacted Python Inc, but got no response.

So, I measured the python's tubing:
ID = 5/8"

Then started surfing and found this gizmo

And came to this:

If has made BB life so easy over the past 15 months.

Hope this helps, and if you have any other (BB) tips, please fill free to add.

Edit:
Works great with coast 2 coast overflows too.

Suck it clean with a no spill and that Amazon tube.

Does a great job cleaning stumps as well.

 

[G Santana]

Made this with a few bucks. I use a 1 micron filter. Vacuum sand while returning filtered water straight to tank. Works like a charm.

Funny you post this, I just did a search for pleated filters that fit a RO canister as I did not know if they had them, and I found them at Home Depot.
This is the route I am going!!!
I have everything except maybe the fittings but that's just a quick ride to Home Depot.

Thanks for posting!!!

 

[exnisstech]

As I sit here after having cleaned my bare bottom tank I was thinking of getting a canister filter like I had in the old days. After blowing the detritus off of the rocks every month and then vacuuming the bottom I am left with a haze in the water for a few hours until either the overflow gets it or it settles back down.

I used to have two Magnum filters with pleated micron filters that I ran while I either cleaned the sand or when I vacuumed the bare bottom as I eventually gave up on sand. Those filters were pretty effective at removing freefloating detritus.

Does anyone still run something like that to polish the water and how often do you clean the bottom?

I never vacuum the bottom. On the tank shown I have 2 mp10s mounted on the back wall for circulation and a filter sock in the sump. No skimmer or other equipment. I change 4 gallons of water once a week. (total volume is around 40ish gallons.) is a There are a few hermits in the tank shown and one Astraea snail.

 

[olonmv]

Funny you post this, I just did a search for pleated filters that fit a RO canister as I did not know if they had them, and I found them at Home Depot.
This is the route I am going!!!
I have everything except maybe the fittings but that's just a quick ride to Home Depot.

Thanks for posting!!!

Absolutely! This setup is great. Last weekend I siphoned all the sand (fine) into a bucket to change it out with a lil bigger grain sand….I put the pump inside the bucket and ran the water through the filter back into my display…..all I got was a tiny bacterial bloom which stability calmed down. Nothing got upset livestock wise.

I too made a trip to Lowe’s to complete the project. Makes gravel cleaning easy AND it wastes very little water. I only had to add back a few cups of saltwater.

I can’t take the credit thought…..it was reefdudes YouTube channel where I got the idea.

 

[mmadderom]

I was looking at that, it seems to be the descendant to the filter I used 32yrs ago.

I use them in two salt tanks and two fresh tanks short term. They definitely make a huge difference in the freshwater tanks within a day or two. Don’t see a noticeable difference in the marine tanks (75 g and 180 g. I run two of them in the 180 when I use them).

 

[Waters]

I have two MP40s that sit right on the bottom to keep everything suspended. I wipe it down roughly twice a month when I clean the inside glass.