How to clean sand in a planted tank?

[Mindy3]

How do you guys clean the substrate in your planted tanks? Mine have some newer dwarf grass and something else that’s very short plus a hand full of taller plants. There are quite a few old almond leaf pieces and some dust that need vacuumed out, BUT I know a gravel vac will just tear all of the little plants out of the sand. So what do you guys do to clean the bottom?

 

[Passionfish]

How do you guys clean the substrate in your planted tanks? Mine have some newer dwarf grass and something else that’s very short plus a hand full of taller plants. There are quite a few old almond leaf pieces and some dust that need vacuumed out, BUT I know a gravel vac will just tear all of the little plants out of the sand. So what do you guys do to clean the bottom?

Normally, I would put in the plants after I clean the tank. Use a net to scoop out any large debris. If the dust is on top of the substrate, just get a mini-gravel vacuum and sweep it slowly over the substrate, but be careful. That's all I got. I'm sure an expert can enlighten you more than I did.

 

[FishSupreme]

Sift through it gently with your hand then vacuum whatever comes out.

 

[The2dCour]

I just vacuum around my feeding spots or wherever I can reach substrate. There's a couple of strategically placed spots that collect detritus. Everything else gets a shake-down and I let it settle or the filter take it up before vacuuming.

 

[veggieshark]

Gently. You may want to use a narrow vacuum with a gentle flow around delicate plants,. If there are only patches of delicate plants, you can go wild with a normal vacuum for the rest of the tank.

 

[mattgirl]

I just swirl the end of the siphon tube an inch or so above the sand and let it pull out the detritus stirred up by the swirling tube. Thankfully sand doesn't need to be deep cleaned like gravel since the detritus just sits on top.

 

[imba]

I use a chopstick to stir the sand up abit so that the debris are floating, then siphon them up. Stir gently tho

 

[Dechi]

You can also use a turkey baster to lift debris before vacuuming it.

 

[Cherryshrimp420]

How do you guys clean the substrate in your planted tanks? Mine have some newer dwarf grass and something else that’s very short plus a hand full of taller plants. There are quite a few old almond leaf pieces and some dust that need vacuumed out, BUT I know a gravel vac will just tear all of the little plants out of the sand. So what do you guys do to clean the bottom?

I don't clean mine.... a clean tank does not mean visually clean, it's more like chemically clean (ie low ammonia, nitrites)

 

[minervalong]

I have an aquascaping set that has what I'd say was a triangular spatula on one end. I use it to wave over the plants, this stirs the debris and the python just takes it up from there.