[Nicole85]

Sooo heres the big question... i have sand in my cichlid tank and the poop is becoming an issue. I know i could vac it and also use a net that the holes allow the sand to fall through... however does anyone have an easier idea or a bottom feeder that could eat this?

 

[WhiteGloveAquatics]

I use a net, basically the same principal as cleaning a cat box, cept this catbox is filled with water. lose no sand and get all the poops.

I have snails and cory cats that take care of my sand bottom.

If you vacuum like I do at WC time, I rake the vac thru the sand with a hair pik but also with the big open end of the gravel vac, the amount of sand you lose will suprise you, its next to nothing really. the heavy sand stays in the tank the light stuff that will float aka suspend will get sucked out.

My current 40gT is a sand bed and have had two sand bed tanks before this one.

 

[JIM]

+1 good plan

 

[IMIGHT]

Hmmmmm, an issue every body has to deal with at some point. Look around your house or next time you go shopping browse around the store and look for something that might just work great! I've found a variety of gadgets that work great for use in the hobby ie: pot scrubbies for mechanical filtration, panty hose to cover the intake tube of the filter to keep the sand and fry out of the impeller, cat litter scoop as mentioned above to rake the sand. Ever saw a 27" Giant Gourami poop ? Trust me when i say the cat little scoop comes in very handy.