Keeping Substrate Clean

[JL15219]

Okay I have a 60 gal planted tank with pull filter sand....I see some pics of tanks on here an there substrate look really clean...I have found it extremely difficult to keep it clean I try to siphon as much as I can but it still looks dirty.
How does everyone else do it? Any special tricks? Should I change my pool filter sand to something else where the poop and stuff actually goes into the substrate for the plants to use it a nutrients? This is the way I had it before with a coarser substrate but since I got Discus I changed it to sand... Any tips would be great!

[Disgirl]

Can you post a picture of your tank here for us to see? Them maybe someone will have a good idea for you. I would use a gravel vac, held slightly above the sand.
Barb

[JL15219]

I did some heavy pruning yesterday and I just up rooted the plants and siphoned under the plants...it got pretty clean...my problem was that I couldnt siphon where there was a lot of plants since all the poop and stuff seem to go under the plants where I couldnt get to without up rooting the plants....I think I might have solved my problem I just moved the power head that I use to ripple the surface of the water to the other side of the tank now the circulation picks up the poop and stuff and directs it to the inlet side of the filter so it can be sucked up.....I only had the problem of the dirty substrate on the outlet side of the tank not the inlet side...I hope this make sense...I will try to get a pic up in a little while...

[JL15219]

Here is a pic of the tank:



All the bubbles are because the plants are pearling

[JL15219]

Here is another:

[Disgirl]

Hey, nice looking tank and fish and plants! What kind of gigantic snails are those? Do they lay eggs that hatch? I bet those snails make some giant poop. If it were my tank I would just use the large tube at the end of my siphon hose (like the one that comes on a Python) and get into the plants and get out all the gunk in amongst the stems. The tubes come in different widths, even very slim, to fit into tight spots. Looks like a healthy tank to me!
Barb

[David Rose]

It's good that you found a way to remove the debris, but having it go inside your filter will give way to more maintenance on your filter; otherwise, your reducing your overall water quality allowing water to pass through all this waste 5-10 times an hour. I would recommend a pre-filter sponge on your intake tube that you can rinse more readily on a daily basis or at least a few times a week.

[JL15219]

It's good that you found a way to remove the debris, but having it go inside your filter will give way to more maintenance on your filter; otherwise, your reducing your overall water quality allowing water to pass through all this waste 5-10 times an hour. I would recommend a pre-filter sponge on your intake tube that you can rinse more readily on a daily basis or at least a few times a week.

You know what I didnt even think of it that way...I just thought that all the stuff would go to the filter and I would just clean it more often.....thanks for the sponge on the intake tip.....

[JL15219]

Hey, nice looking tank and fish and plants! What kind of gigantic snails are those? Do they lay eggs that hatch? I bet those snails make some giant poop. If it were my tank I would just use the large tube at the end of my siphon hose (like the one that comes on a Python) and get into the plants and get out all the gunk in amongst the stems. The tubes come in different widths, even very slim, to fit into tight spots. Looks like a healthy tank to me!
Barb

LOL the snails are briggs if I am correct I dont really remember....and yeah they do lay eggs that hatch....they used to do it a lot more often before I got the discus I guess they dont really like the warmer temp...they would lay them every couple of week close to the light fixture out of the water.....I used to have a lot more but like I said they dont seem to like the temp as much I had green, yellow, white, blue, purple strip, etc they are really nice to look at
Yeah I think I need to get a smaller hose to get into those tight spots....it can get very frustrating at times trying to get all the poop and stuff....

[Queenserpentine]

another thing i've found when I used to have sand was just a small piece of airline tubing did the clean up really well and wasted minimal sand unlike the gravel vacs can. Hope this helps

[JL15219]

another thing i've found when I used to have sand was just a small piece of airline tubing did the clean up really well and wasted minimal sand unlike the gravel vacs can. Hope this helps

oh maybe I can try that.....thanks....

[TheJohnner]

I use the Eheim substrate vac, it works great to suck up uneaten beefheart!

[zamboniMan]

I only clean the substrate in areas where they're aren't plants. The plants will usually (unless they have very fine leaves that are collecting debris) break down any waste/extra food.

If I notice the leaves getting covered in debris I just hold the siphon over it for a few seconds and that usually takes care of that problem.

[JL15219]

I only clean the substrate in areas where they're aren't plants. The plants will usually (unless they have very fine leaves that are collecting debris) break down any waste/extra food.

If I notice the leaves getting covered in debris I just hold the siphon over it for a few seconds and that usually takes care of that problem.

Oh really so you just dont worry about the stuff under the plant....what type of substrate do you have in your tank? I know that the waste and stuff is nutrients for the plants I was just worried that it would affect the water quality of the discus...I dont know maybe I am just worrying too much I am new to discus so you know.....