cleaning an aquarium with sand bottom
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cleaning an aquarium with sand bottom
I have tried the syphon, but it seems that it is not strong enough to suck in the bad stuff that my koi/goldfish leave behind. So any tips & what else to try?
Sandman1969- Angel Fish
- Posts : 398
Join date : 2013-09-15
Re: cleaning an aquarium with sand bottom
Try a gravel vacuum. It works off a siphon, but does a fine job.
GaryE- Veteran Member
- Posts : 2505
Join date : 2013-09-07
Re: cleaning an aquarium with sand bottom
That's what I've been using. Doesn't seem strong enough.
Sandman1969- Angel Fish
- Posts : 398
Join date : 2013-09-15
Re: cleaning an aquarium with sand bottom
It should be, so I suspect you have a lot of sand cleaning ahead - things must have gotten messy in there. You just keep doing it over and over again until it's clean, then you just keep doing it over and over again.
Koi are outdoor, pond fish. There are reasons for that. When I had them and goldies at the school, I would vacuum and repeat "*&*&^&*! goldfish" over and over again. I will never, ever keep a big herbivore like that in a fishtank again. Life is too short to keep manure producing fish correctly, unless you have a pond or a greenhouse like Steve.
I suspect the thread has come full circle, as if the gravel vac ain't doing it, you can see why the algae is flourishing. It's an overload of nutrients in the tank, and no filter or device will handle that. Massive endless water changes and gravel vacuuming are the only way.
Koi are outdoor, pond fish. There are reasons for that. When I had them and goldies at the school, I would vacuum and repeat "*&*&^&*! goldfish" over and over again. I will never, ever keep a big herbivore like that in a fishtank again. Life is too short to keep manure producing fish correctly, unless you have a pond or a greenhouse like Steve.
I suspect the thread has come full circle, as if the gravel vac ain't doing it, you can see why the algae is flourishing. It's an overload of nutrients in the tank, and no filter or device will handle that. Massive endless water changes and gravel vacuuming are the only way.
GaryE- Veteran Member
- Posts : 2505
Join date : 2013-09-07
Re: cleaning an aquarium with sand bottom
You could also try a bigger siphon/vac. I have two, and the smaller diameter one definitely has less sucking power.
cephalotus- Angel Fish
- Posts : 401
Join date : 2013-09-08
Location : Saskatoon, SK
Re: cleaning an aquarium with sand bottom
cephalotus wrote:You could also try a bigger siphon/vac. I have two, and the smaller diameter one definitely has less sucking power.
Definitely something I have noticed too.
Re: cleaning an aquarium with sand bottom
I've only seen longer ones, not wider.
Sandman1969- Angel Fish
- Posts : 398
Join date : 2013-09-15

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