Genius way to clean your sand!

[Philipgonzales3]

I came across this video the other day. Kind of a long video for what it is, but I think it is worth the watch! I don't want to spoil it. Not sure if this is common knowledge but I thought it was a great tip. Let me know what you think?

 

[mmw64]

I came across this video the other day. Kind of a long video for what it is, but I think it is worth the watch! I don't want to spoil it. Not sure if this is common knowledge but I thought it was a great tip. Let me know what you think?

Great idea. I'm going to try it! Thank you for sharing.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Great idea. I'm going to try it! Thank you for sharing.

I watched it a while back and recently ordered an extension for my python as well as a slimmer longer tube thing. You know the end you stick in the water. I didn't rinse my carbon and I have a few little carbon balls in my sand. Going to test it out when it comes in. I already do this during my weekly 5 gallon water change but 5 gallons goes fast and my attachment is too wide to get good access to the sand.

Figured I'd share this instead of keeping it to myself. I would have never thought of this unfortunately lol. I do plan to get a CUC eventually, but may be a good idea to do every once in a while regardless. I am a big fan of keeping things looking clean. Maybe too clean but time will tell.

 

[J Rog]

Yep, that’s a great way to clean the sand! I do it all the time. Not sure but I may have gotten the idea from this video. I will say though the part where he says keep your NO3 at 0 is not great advice.. unless you want starving corals, Dino’s, cyano, etc.. lol

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Yep, that’s a great way to clean the sand! I do it all the time. Not sure but I may have gotten the idea from this video. I will say though the part where he says keep your NO3 at 0 is not great advice.. unless you want starving corals, Dino’s, cyano, etc.. lol

Yeah I thought the same. I am pretty new but I have heard 0 nitrates can be bad. Corals consume nitrates to grow or something like that? How about phosphates? Do you know if too low phosphates is bad for a reef tank also? My nitrates are a whopping 5ppm right now. My tank is a FOWLR for now and I also have a whopping 9 watts of LED light lol. I've also heard too low light can cause algea issues. Not sure though.

 

[jabberwock]

Good technique. I don;t have a sump, so I just rubber band a sock to the end of the tube into the 5 gallon bucket. I have to stop and start a few times, but just put the water in the bucket back in.

 

[mmw64]

I watched it a while back and recently ordered an extension for my python as well as a slimmer longer tube thing. You know the end you stick in the water. I didn't rinse my carbon and I have a few little carbon balls in my sand. Going to test it out when it comes in. I already do this during my weekly 5 gallon water change but 5 gallons goes fast and my attachment is too wide to get good access to the sand.

Figured I'd share this instead of keeping it to myself. I would have never thought of this unfortunately lol. I do plan to get a CUC eventually, but may be a good idea to do every once in a while regardless. I am a big fan of keeping things looking clean. Maybe too clean but time will tell.

Where did you order the smaller tube from, if you don't mind me asking.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Where did you order the smaller tube from, if you don't mind me asking.

Well I guess it's the tube with 6 feet of hose and not just the tube.

I originally bought the 10" medium which is 2" in diameter. Went for the 12" small this time which is 1" in diameter.

https://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=28044

These also look like they are 1" diameter but not sure.

https://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3902

 

[mmw64]

Well I guess it's the tube with 6 feet of hose and not just the tube.

I originally bought the 10" medium which is 2" in diameter. Went for the 12" small this time which is 1" in diameter.

https://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=28044

These also look like they are 1" diameter but not sure.

https://m.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=3902

Thanks again.

 

[Waters]

Unfortunately I would need a 30 foot hose but it is a good idea :) I chose to keep my sand clean by removing it lol.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Unfortunately I would need a 30 foot hose but it is a good idea :) I chose to keep my sand clean by removing it lol.

They have 50 foot hoses lol. But yeah sounds like it can be a chore either way.

 

[ekoed]

This seems like a good idea, would the same principal work if I ran it through my media basket using an all in one? No sock?

 

[eggplantparrot]

Barebottom all da way :D

 

[Philipgonzales3]

This seems like a good idea, would the same principal work if I ran it through my media basket using an all in one? No sock?

Is your media basket lower than your aquarium? Usually on all in ones the filtration is built in to the aquarium at the same level as the display. You may not be able to achieve a gravity fed siphon in this case.

 

[ekoed]

It's an IM 40. That's a good point I didn't think of that!

 

[Philipgonzales3]

It's an IM 40. That's a good point I didn't think of that!

Yeah, I guess you need to get a new tank with a sump now ;)

 

[melev]

I did something similar years ago. I found the perfect sock holder too, my protein skimmer's neck. That way all the brown water that came out was in the body of the skimmer mostly. Once I was done, the sock was removed and the cup reinstalled, I turned the skimmer back on and exported everything in the body of the skimmer into the cup for the most part.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Works great. I just did mine.

 

[BranchingHammer]

Nice mod melev

 

[marlinmon]

Very clever