Substrate help!!!!!

[Go For It]

Well, I recently added substrate to my 60-gallon BB tank. The substrate is more of a sandy texture and is gray in color. It was purchased from PetsMart and it i supposed to help with the alkalinity and pH levels of the water. I'm not sure of the exact name right now, as I have thwon away the packaging, but I will stop by PetsMart to do so. However, the problem is that I clean my tank daily with a "Python" hose and today was the first day for a cleaning since I have added the substrate and since it is a sandy texture, it seems to get clogged in the python. I'm not sure if there is another "tool" that I can use to clean the tank with or is there a certain method used for this type of substrate? I know how important it is to keep a Discus tank as clean as possible and if the Python hose isn't working, I'm not sure what to do to clean the floor of my tank...

[traco]

I have no problem with my python cleaning my sand substrate but I do have the 24" python which helps. It can suck and swirl a good amount of sand and not suck it all away. It is a bit of a technique to clean sand substrates. Some swirl their hand over the sand as they hover the vacuum above to pick up the crud.

[lhforbes12]

Like Barb I have a much longer "gravel cleaner" on the end of my Python than the one that originally came with it. I never have a problem with sucking up substrate and my substrate is exceeding light. Big Al's sells the longer gravel cleaner if you can't find one locally.

[Harriett]

If the tube is at a 90 degree angle (totally vertical), it sucks up sand faster--if you keep the python at a 45 degree angle when you are syphoning, you will have more control. Also, it is true that the longer the python plexi tube, the more control you have.
Harriett

[Go For It]

Yeah, I do have the longer Python... I guess I was sticking the tube a little too forcefully into the sand at a complete vertical angle because the substrate was actually sucked up and it traveled all the way down to the end of the tube right before the sink, but it got stuck there; I had to push water back out to clear the tube of the sand. I'll try it again today... thanks for your help. Would it help to purchase bottom feeder fish and/or algae fish to help control the excess food and algae of the tank? Thanks again.

[Harriett]

Of course! A solid cleaning crew is always a good idea! Git you some cories, bristlenose, loaches and there won't be any left over food. There always will be some waste and if planted, some plant crap, but the tank will stay cleaner by the cleaner crew and healthier because of the plant respiration and uptake of spare nutrients in the tank.

[White Worm]

Hover just above the sand and dont push in into the substrate. You will lose a little and but very little. You only need to clean the surface anyways because sand compacts and there is no pockets therefore the waste sits mostly on top. Cleaning crews dont hurt and maybe a few plants also.