Vacuuming A Tank

forenpa1 · 03-02-2006, 10:00 PM

How do you vacuum a tank, do you just siphon the bottom during water changes or do you use a power cannister such as a Vortex with diatam earth ?

wharyat · 03-02-2006, 10:18 PM

I just siphon all of the stuff off the bottom (this is in a BB tho).

In a DSB, you should stick within the first inch of the sand when vaccuming -- this is so you dont realase any phosphates, nitrogenous wastes, or H₂S.

In an SSB you can normally get away with siphoning down to the bottom of the tank without any ill effects, same with CC.

DebsSisterFlo · 03-03-2006, 01:28 AM

I just vac'd today. I removed the rigid end of the siphon tube and just used the tube itself. I wanted to really clean things up tho and do a good job after the cycle. I vac'd the surface of all the rocks and then flexed it down around the bases of the rocks and ended up with a 5 gallon pail of gunk! For a regular water change I will leave the rigid tube on and give the rocks a good once over and siphon the sand. I don't push down into the sand tho cuz it just swirls in the tube, so I leave sand stirring up to the nass snails!

forenpa1 · 03-03-2006, 07:58 AM

Aren't Brits great dogs !! We have a 5 yr old female and she is just the best pet ever !

DebsSisterFlo · 03-03-2006, 11:09 AM

we don't figure on ever having any other breed, he's just too perfect! Hey, if you like forums then go to www.forum.americanbrittanyrescue.org it's a great group of people who love talking about their dogs, and it's not just rescue volunteers, many people on that forum do not volunteer.