Tank cleaning

Paintballer545 · Jul 3, 2020

What is the best way to get rid of fish waste on the bottom of the tank. I got a gravel/sand cleaner. But it doesn’t pick the waste up.

andrewey · Jul 3, 2020

Do you have bare bottom, sand, or gravel? Are you talking about fish poop/detritus on the surface or do you mean at all layers of any possible substrate you have? Also, could you describe your tank and equipment, particuarlly if you have a sump/overflow, any mechanical filtration (filter pads/socks), and what you mean when you say it doesn't pick the waste up?

Paintballer545 · Jul 3, 2020

andrewey said:
Do you have bare bottom, sand, or gravel? Are you talking about fish poop/detritus on the surface or do you mean at all layers of any possible substrate you have? Also, could you describe your tank and equipment, particuarlly if you have a sump/overflow, any mechanical filtration (filter pads/socks), and what you mean when you say it doesn't pick the waste up?

I have sand on the bottom. As far as filtration goes I have a canister filter and two power heads to help with current. And fish waste that just floats around on top of the sand. I tried using the siphon cleaner to suck it up but that doesn’t work.no dump or overflow. So new to this, it’s not even funny.

Sleeping Giant · Jul 3, 2020

Do you have a skimmer?
The gravel vac should suck up lots of detritus, might be plugged up?

Reef. · Jul 3, 2020

Have you tried moving your powerheads around, or increasing the power, sand does get dirty and needs cleaning but by the way you are describing it, sounds like it’s partly a flow issue.

Paintballer545 · Jul 3, 2020

Sleeping Giant said:
Do you have a skimmer?
The gravel vac should suck up lots of detritus, might be plugged up?

Do not have a skimmer at the moment. And the gravel vac is brand new.

Sleeping Giant · Jul 3, 2020

Might not be sucking enough water through the vac..and I'd get a skimmer, they do wonders

Paintballer545 · Jul 3, 2020

Reef. said:
Have you tried moving your powerheads around, or increasing the power, sand does get dirty and needs cleaning but by the way you are describing it, sounds like it’s partly a flow issue.

I had a flow issue which I think help contribute to the algae problem that I am slowly getting corrected. I moved the power heads around and it has made a big difference.

Paintballer545 · Jul 3, 2020

Sleeping Giant said:
Might not be sucking enough water through the vac..and I'd get a skimmer, they do wonders

Skimmer is the next thing on my list to get.

andrewey · Jul 3, 2020

Just to make sure I understand, once you start the siphon are you saying that the flow through the gravel vaccuum tubing isn't enough to suck up the waste? Is this a standard gravel vacuum?

Paintballer545 · Jul 3, 2020

andrewey said:
Just to make sure I understand, once you start the siphon are you saying that the flow through the gravel vaccuum tubing isn't enough to suck up the waste? Is this a standard gravel vacuum?

Your average gravity feed siphon cleaner

Reef. · Jul 3, 2020

Paintballer545 said:
Skimmer is the next thing on my list to get.

a skimmer will help but it’s not going to solve the issue you describe, they or more for dissolved organics, not for larger food particles.

I would make sure you either use a filter sock or floss, get on top of the powerhead flow, and learn to use the vacuum, takes a few goes but once you get it, it’s easy enough to use, also maybe swirl the sand bed a couple of times a week to help get the dirty bits in the water column and down your overflow.

Take it slow, if your sandbed is dirty you don’t want to clean it all in one go or you might cause a lot of ammonia etc being released in one go, not good!