To you people with sand-

[ryanoh]

How often do you have to vacuum your substrate? I'm relatively new at this sand thing probably only having had it for two months, but I JUST cleaned all the fish poop off the top of the sand last night, and it was literally covered with it around 1 when I got home from class today. My filter is currently on its way out, so it may not be sucking up enough waste, and that might be why its all over the sand.

 

[brian1973]

I vac mine every sunday.

 

[ryanoh]

I'm used to doing mine about once a week, but I feel really gross leaving it so dirty. Am I feeding them too much or something?

 

[bassbonediva]

I do mine when I do my water changes. If you have pool filter sand, it's going to look A LOT dirtier a lot faster than gravel or even play sand. Play sand looks dirtier than gravel faster. It is one of the woes of having sand substrate.

 

[ryanoh]

I do have play sand.

It just seems like its been dirtier this week than ever before. I'm going to blame my dying filter... for now.

 

[Dylandrewsdad]

It may look dirtier, but it is not. It just sits on top. I vac mine twice a week. I also learned the hard way to make sure you shut your filter off and stir up a little of the sand to make sure nothing gets buried and starts rotting! The other reason for shutting off the filter is the sand can damage the impellor and or housing! I love the look of the sand, but it does have it's drawbacks too....

 

[littletankbigworld]

I have cream-coloured sand and I vaccuum every week, and sometimes twice a week if I can. It does become dirty rather quickly and I regret not buying black sand.

 

[riseabovethesun]

I have play sand and I was just thinking the other day "wow this does not get dirty fast" maybe I'm used to noticing the black gravel becoming less black as it dirties. But I only have 5 fish in my 10 gallon sand tank -- so maybe that's why it stays so clean.

But I vacuum it every week/with water changes usually.

 

[ZackLanduyt]

I have play sand and it gets dirty looking pretty quick usually only a couple days you get used to it haha ok ok I lied I hate the poop everywhere!!! It sucks but when it is clean it looks great

 

[ryanoh]

So if there was fish poop on top of my sand yesterday and now there's not, what does that mean? Did the filter pick it up or something or is it somehow buried? If its buried that doesn't seem good...

 

[littletankbigworld]

Usually, my corydora will push the poop up against and under the rocks in my tank, so I have to pick up the rocks and siphon underneath them whenever I clean.