tell me how you vacuum YOUR sand.

GDMNC · 05/05/2009, 11:15 PM

I have been thinking of my sand and that its not being vacuum properly. I have heard people replacing all of their sand every 3-6 months by vacuuming weekly or biweekly.
My question is can you siphon out the sand and clean it any way or is it useless? Do I need to buy new sand?
Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Just to let you know I have a siphon tube that is for gravel but most of the sand and gravel get sucked up.

YE||0W TA|\|G · 05/05/2009, 11:34 PM

I actually dont clean / vacuum the sand bed. I let my CuC take care of it for me. Sometimes when you stir up the sand bed when cleaning it you can release bad bacteria.

Toddrtrex · 05/06/2009, 12:04 AM

I have a shallow sand bed in all 3 of my tanks. I vacuum them with each weekly water change. I use a siphon hose that has a wider end -- the part that goes into the tank. I control how fast it siphons by putting my finger over the other end. Very little sand is removed, but it does remove a great deal of the detritus that is in there.

This is what the wider end of the siphon hose looks like,

IridescentLily · 05/06/2009, 01:05 AM

Absolutely. Toddrtex has the perfect setup in that pic for vacuuming the sand without sucking it up the hose. I used one made the way he shows in my folr tank also and it worked very well.

daudelus · 05/06/2009, 05:18 AM

I do bi-weekly water changes and siphon out about half of my 2" sand bed each time, just alternating back and forth. I concentrate on areas in the creases between rock and sand where my detritus tends to accumulate. I think the key for non-DSB is to siphon in sections. Like Toddrtex, I don't attempt to siphon the sand out and replace, just the detritus.

surge19us · 05/06/2009, 09:31 AM

RBirns · 05/06/2009, 10:59 AM

With each water change, I gently vacuum the entire sand bed just at the top. I suck up the detritus and maybe the top 1/8 inch of sand. I don't believe I'm disturbing the sand bed or releasing toxins, but please let me know if that's wrong.

Toddrtrex · 05/06/2009, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RBirns
With each water change, I gently vacuum the entire sand bed just at the top. I suck up the detritus and maybe the top 1/8 inch of sand. I don't believe I'm disturbing the sand bed or releasing toxins, but please let me know if that's wrong.

How deep is your sandbed? All of mine are around 2 inches, and I sometimes vacuum all the way to the bottom of the tank --- mainly if I move a rock or two.

RBirns · 05/06/2009, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Toddrtrex
How deep is your sandbed? All of mine are around 2 inches, and I sometimes vacuum all the way to the bottom of the tank --- mainly if I move a rock or two.

My sand is also about 2 inches.

Uncle Salty 05 · 05/06/2009, 12:55 PM

My sand is about 4" deep and with each water change (every 3 weeks) I vaccuum 1/3 of my exposed sand bed.
Then once every year or so I turn off all pumps and briskly stir 1/3 of my sand bed (moving the rock too) all the way to the glass.
I let it settle for 30-45 minutes then vaccuum the detritus that has settled.
Been doing it this way for a long time and haven't released any gremlins yet.
Tank has been running for 13 years and my nitrates are zero.

sikpupy · 05/06/2009, 01:01 PM

Yup, a picture is worth a thousand words......heh heh.....

Funny thing is, mine was named Sergi, before he went a carpet surfing....

Quote:

Originally posted by surge19us

DT's_Reef · 05/06/2009, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by GDMNC
I have been thinking of my sand....

I do that too, usually at night while sipping a glass of fine red wine....

Ok, ok, I vacuum my sand (non-rock area) about 1x per month, only the very top portion. I do end up sucking up a good bit of sand with it, but after draining the water, I put it back in the tank. I'm going to try using the gadget Todd's using, as I'm sure it works better.

MeVsTheWorld · 05/06/2009, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Toddrtrex
I have a shallow sand bed in all 3 of my tanks. I vacuum them with each weekly water change. I use a siphon hose that has a wider end -- the part that goes into the tank. I control how fast it siphons by putting my finger over the other end. Very little sand is removed, but it does remove a great deal of the detritus that is in there.

I do the same, except about every 10 days. My siphon tube is the exact same , but just about 13" long. Works great and I lose almost no sand at all. My sand bed is also around 2".

reefscape15 · 05/06/2009, 04:37 PM

+1 with not vacuuming. No need if you have an adequate cuc

46FiatYamaha · 05/06/2009, 05:04 PM

I do the same thing Toddrtrex explained for several years now and have not had any issues from cleaning it that way.

mg426 · 05/06/2009, 05:06 PM

I have about a 3/4 inch sand bed in my display. I vaccum 1/2 each time i do a water change. Same type of syphon contraption as Tod Trex works great.

Stanley-Reefer · 05/06/2009, 05:58 PM

I like to cut my vacuums at a 45* angle. This way you can get as much as you want in the cylinder but when it gets to the top, you can tilt it and it will come out slowly and swirl around itself releasing the detritis up and the sand down.

I do my sand at every water change in both tanks only go down like an inch though. I like WHITE sand.

DT's_Reef · 05/06/2009, 11:49 PM

Dang Todd, you have a ton of pics!! Still have the potter's? Awesome fish.

Toddrtrex · 05/07/2009, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by DT's_Reef
Dang Todd, you have a ton of pics!! Still have the potter's? Awesome fish.

Yea, I have just a few. I got a new Potter's about 2 weeks ago, so far it is doing great. I used to have a pair of Potter's, but... semi-emergency surgery + pump failure = dead Potter's pair.

gbothepro · 05/07/2009, 12:33 AM

Todd, where can I get a vacuum like the one on your pic?

Toddrtrex · 05/07/2009, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gbothepro
Todd, where can I get a vacuum like the one on your pic?

I got mine for the PetSmart just down the street from me.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2752298

gbothepro · 05/07/2009, 03:37 AM

Thanks Todd.. I'm going to go get one today, I really need it. My sand is in need of some good cleaning.

05/05/2009, 11:15 PM	#1
GDMNC Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Mooresville, NC Posts: 26	tell me how you vacuum YOUR sand. I have been thinking of my sand and that its not being vacuum properly. I have heard people replacing all of their sand every 3-6 months by vacuuming weekly or biweekly. My question is can you siphon out the sand and clean it any way or is it useless? Do I need to buy new sand? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Just to let you know I have a siphon tube that is for gravel but most of the sand and gravel get sucked up. __________________ i'd like to swim with my fish Current Tank Info: 75gal tank 25gal sump, 100 lbs live rock

05/05/2009, 11:34 PM	#2
YE\|\|0W TA\|\\|G Registered Member $YE\|\|0W TA\|\\|G's Avatar$ Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Hillsborough New Jersey Posts: 699	I actually dont clean / vacuum the sand bed. I let my CuC take care of it for me. Sometimes when you stir up the sand bed when cleaning it you can release bad bacteria. __________________ Rome was not built in a day, and neither was the ocean.. or our aquariums.. patience is they key to success.
$YE\|\|0W TA\|\\|G is offline$

05/06/2009, 12:04 AM	#3
Toddrtrex Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Carol Stream, IL Posts: 23,162	I have a shallow sand bed in all 3 of my tanks. I vacuum them with each weekly water change. I use a siphon hose that has a wider end -- the part that goes into the tank. I control how fast it siphons by putting my finger over the other end. Very little sand is removed, but it does remove a great deal of the detritus that is in there. This is what the wider end of the siphon hose looks like, __________________ Click my name and then "visit toddrtrex's homepage" for tank pictures Current Tank Info: 210g reef and 65g reef

05/06/2009, 05:18 AM	#5
daudelus Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Elizabethtown, PA Posts: 177	I do bi-weekly water changes and siphon out about half of my 2" sand bed each time, just alternating back and forth. I concentrate on areas in the creases between rock and sand where my detritus tends to accumulate. I think the key for non-DSB is to siphon in sections. Like Toddrtex, I don't attempt to siphon the sand out and replace, just the detritus. __________________ ------------------------- 55g long mixed reef. 60lbs LR, 2 x 150 HQI 15k MH, BH 1000 Octopus HOB Skimmer, Sumpless, 2x Hydor Koralia 3s + 1x Hydor Koralia 1, HOB filter for Carbon.

05/06/2009, 09:31 AM	#6
surge19us Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Willard, Oh Posts: 656	__________________ Sean Current Tank Info: 120 gal 30 gal sump/fuge, ATB Econo 840 skimmer, 2 Vortech MP40w, AC Jr., 2-250watt MH 20K Radiums, Lumen Max 2 reflectors, 2 tek T5 retro actinic, Prime chiller, ATO/kalk reactor, drews dosers on two part.

05/06/2009, 01:05 AM	#4
IridescentLily Editor-Reefkeeping mag Join Date: May 2008 Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico Posts: 3,858 Blog Entries: 5	Absolutely. Toddrtex has the perfect setup in that pic for vacuuming the sand without sucking it up the hose. I used one made the way he shows in my folr tank also and it worked very well.

05/06/2009, 10:59 AM	#7
RBirns Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 57	With each water change, I gently vacuum the entire sand bed just at the top. I suck up the detritus and maybe the top 1/8 inch of sand. I don't believe I'm disturbing the sand bed or releasing toxins, but please let me know if that's wrong.

05/06/2009, 12:55 PM	#10
Uncle Salty 05 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,799	My sand is about 4" deep and with each water change (every 3 weeks) I vaccuum 1/3 of my exposed sand bed. Then once every year or so I turn off all pumps and briskly stir 1/3 of my sand bed (moving the rock too) all the way to the glass. I let it settle for 30-45 minutes then vaccuum the detritus that has settled. Been doing it this way for a long time and haven't released any gremlins yet. Tank has been running for 13 years and my nitrates are zero. __________________ In all that I endure, of one thing I am sure. Knowledge and reason, change like the season. A jester's promenade. - Kerry Livgren Current Tank Info: 180 gal reef tank with dual attached refugiums 20 long and 10 gallon. Plus 55 gallon True Percula breeding tank.

05/06/2009, 04:37 PM	#14
reefscape15 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Elmira Heights, NY Posts: 2,812	+1 with not vacuuming. No need if you have an adequate cuc __________________ A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H

05/06/2009, 05:04 PM	#15
46FiatYamaha Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Matthews NC Posts: 990	I do the same thing Toddrtrex explained for several years now and have not had any issues from cleaning it that way.

05/06/2009, 05:06 PM	#16
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	I have about a 3/4 inch sand bed in my display. I vaccum 1/2 each time i do a water change. Same type of syphon contraption as Tod Trex works great. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

05/06/2009, 05:58 PM	#17
Stanley-Reefer Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Stanley, NC Posts: 1,933	I like to cut my vacuums at a 45* angle. This way you can get as much as you want in the cylinder but when it gets to the top, you can tilt it and it will come out slowly and swirl around itself releasing the detritis up and the sand down. I do my sand at every water change in both tanks only go down like an inch though. I like WHITE sand.

05/06/2009, 11:49 PM	#18
DT's_Reef Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Huntington Beach, CA Posts: 3,083	Dang Todd, you have a ton of pics!! Still have the potter's? Awesome fish. __________________ 85g starphire system, 38"x26"x20", 250w Radium SE + Galaxy Ballast + Lumenmax Elite reflector, Tunze Nano Wave Box, 2 Tunze Nano Streams, Profilux dosing system (2-part + vodka), ATB 840 Skimmer, Eheim 1262 return pump.

05/07/2009, 12:33 AM	#20
gbothepro Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 110	Todd, where can I get a vacuum like the one on your pic?

05/07/2009, 03:37 AM	#22
gbothepro Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 110	Thanks Todd.. I'm going to go get one today, I really need it. My sand is in need of some good cleaning.