Nano Housekeeping

[new2salt1]

I wanted to start this thread to see how people keep their Nano tank CLEAN! (is it even possible?)
The reason I ask is because I have read a lot of different issues regarding waste, algae, etc, and I want to see how people deal with it.
My issue is DIRT! No algae, very little food waste. But DIRT - in small piles - seem to be showing up on a daily basis!!! Very weird.
Anyway, HOW do you clean your subtrate, your LR, and everything else? Most siphons are too powerful, and they suck out 3 gallons in 2 minutes, making them impractical. Also, the siphons suck-up the aragonite substrate so fast that pretty soon, I will have none left!
So how do you do it? Are you facing this same problem that I am???
At first I thought I would just suck up everything, clean the substrate, and put it back in. But then I would be removing all of the 'pods and other beneficial organisms living in the tank.
So how do you do your housekeeping??? Every tip - no matter how small - is welcome.

 

[teresaq]

you can find small hose at places like lowes. If a standard is too big then check there and just by 4 or 5 ft. of one that is smaller
also, maybe adding a small pump so more dirt dosent settle on the bottom, but instead get sucked into the filter.

 

[new2salt1]

Thanks Theresa! I have a small siphon tube. The problem is, while it doesn't suck up AS MUCH of my aragonite substrate, it sucks up a little bit then IT GETS JAMMED!! I think I want to make a siphon with a screen that allows dirt to pass through but not the substrate. Maybe just a small patch of fiberglass window screening over the end of the siphon???
I think I found the dirt culprit today though!!
Has anyone seen these thins in their tank? They look like they have "tubes." The tubes are hard, and when these things come out, they look like strands of hair!! They seem to be making tunnels or something, and as they come and go, and leave small mounds of dirt everywhere. I will try to get you a pic.
So you think a second pump aimed at the substrate would help??? How would I do that?
I encourage anyone else with cleanup tips or problems to join the thread.

 

[teresaq]

you can buy mini hobby pumps on line, you could mount it on the back in the middle so its just blowing above the sand, but not blowing sand, or get a little bigger one and add asmall piece of pvc pipe with holes drilled -Spraybar, that will keep things moving i the back

 

[keri]

I'm still new to all of this so don't have any tips but good thread, I look forward to the responses

 

[new2salt1]

C'mon, we know there are ALOT of beautiful tanks in this forum.
Give us some tips!!

 

[perfectdark]

You dont really want to disturb the sand bed too much. If your looking to skim the surface of it when you clean you can do a couple of different things. I have enough flow in my tank that all my sand...well at least 90% of it is being touched by flow so you can direct your PH to reach your sand bed. This was very difficult for me because I didnt want to create an area where the sand would get blown away exposing the tank bottom. But once I got the spot and flow rate it now helps from hard particles from accumulating in certain areas. I have a syphon that I take the large suction end off of making the opening about 5/8" in dia. Then I place the hose over the areas if any where i see accumulated detrius. I dont do this every water change but about every month and a half I take my PH off the side of my tank and aim it at my LR specifically the crevises that hide alot of gunk. I blow it all off and let the filter take it from there. Then a day later I take out my filter floss and rinse it out getting rid of all the large paricles of debris.
The middle chamber of my tank is now a fuge, with LR Rubble and Chateo on top and floss on top of that. On the same day I use the PH to blow the LR off I I syphon out the left and right chambers of the cube, any sludge that accumulates in there gets sucked out. Thats when I disconect the return pump and clean it out too. Hope this helps.

 

[debbie]

Originally Posted by Keri
I'm still new to all of this so don't have any tips but good thread, I look forward to the responses

Sorry for the off topic question here, but Keri where do you live in B.C.??