Sand Substrate [How to Care for, Maintain and Vacuum a Sand Substrate the Right Way] - This Works!

I don't clean my sand, I want the poop to decompose a long with any food that may be on the bottom. If it works in the garden bed why not the bed of the aquarium?

Is it okay to mix gravel and sand?

I clogged my siphon ball lol it’s just filled with sand now and I can’t use it anymore

Hi, thank you for the video. I've seen some people mention that sand can be dangerous for Bettas and they will eat it. My betta does like to graze at the bottom of the tank. I've set up a new tank with sand for him and now I'm doubtful. Can anyone help?

Thumbs 👍 of course! Thanks for the tips! It's much appreciated! From Indiana!

You sound like a very nice man! 😌

Thank you for the info, Ben. I've had tanks for about 3 years but have yet to do a sand substrate, always gravel. I think I'm going to start my first planted tank now. Appreciate all the tips.

Awesome upload! Thumbs up from me as usual... Stay safe... Rico

Thank you very much I was wondering exactly how to vacuum and clean with the sand just set up a tank with sand for the first time
carib sea
Thank you so much Ben

This may be a dumb question but I have a 125 african cichlid tank with aragonite sand and honestly I was thinking about switching away from the sand the fish constantly blow sand all over the tank and it's constantly dirty and sand is getting constantly sucked up into my filters. Is there another substrate that would be good from them like the sand but not the sand? Lol.. thank u

@Benochart why is the site Elite down, where you get your plants etc?

Simple, easy and to the point. Thanks man. Good info.

Hey Ben, to prevent scratches near the bottom, i use a plastic card to clean the inside of my tanks. doing so for years now. you have to be very careful with any type of sponge and sand. with the card there are no scratches. removes green and brown alge as well. i may add i have glass tanks only.

I embrace the fact that if you're going to vacuum sand, you're going to suck it up. I intentionally suck up the sand at least once a month, I then rinse the sand I capture in the bucket and return it to the tank. It's worth it to me knowing the sand is clean and doesn't have anaerobic areas. During normal water changes in sand tanks, I don't vacuum the sand at all, only change the water.

I highly recommend using a turkey baster to disturb the substrate and keep the syphoning tube high off the substrate. That way the malm and organics will suspended and is syphoned. Once you're done syphoning, you may use an old plastic card, you can turn your substrate so it appears to be 'fresh'.

I have sand in my aquarium and I never have to do vacuuming. Let me explain. I use a WaveMaker directed parallel to the sand bed and set at about 6 inches above the bottom (Just high enough so that sand is not blown away). Wave maker blows water above the sand bed and it also blows away any waste that has settled on the sand. The waste then ends up in the aquarium sump through the overflow. Just clean the sponge in the sump once in about 2 weeks. I have to run the WaveMaker for about 1 hr everyday. You can run it for longer as needed or put it on timer also.

I love the artificial plants and wood you use—they look more realistic than a lot of the ones out there. Can you please post links to where to find them?

When finished vacuuming my substrate I always have detritus come back..what am I doing wrong

I bought a NICREW electric vacuum and love it. It has a dial to regulate suction. As it filters and returns the water to the tank you can do it anytime you like.

Great video as always Ben! The Python looks great but doesn’t a lot of water from the faucets get wasted to create the siphon?

Thank you 🙏

Fish i keep tend to be okay with flow so i have a wavemaker in my tanks. Wavemaker eliminates the need to "vacuum" the sand. Can't imagine doing it any other way.

My Smiley Ben ☺....the way you do it is how I do it ! I have half gravel and sand...just love it !

Great tips.

I love seeing our Cory catfish dig about in the sand. Great to have sand and a planted tank but how would you put more sand in your tank?

This was relaxing

As you put it Ben I only ever suck debris off the surface of my sand, I have 3 large Horseface loaches that sift and move my sand bed so all I do during water changes is spend 30 mins levelling my sand evenly and leave it to move around again I’ve had gravel, fine gravel, Aqua-soils and now sand and at this point in my hobby I don’t think I’ll ever change from sand I find it always looks great and it looks like every fish I have really thrives with it too... take care my friend and stay safe.

Great Video, New to the Hobby and I did the unthinkable and added fish 🐠 to a Sand Substrate, The water 💦 is just getting a little Clear. Thanks 🙏 keep up the good work

If it's glass, shouldn't you use a razor?

If I vacuum sand with the siphon, shit does not float, it has the same density as my sansibar sand. The dirt goes up the siphon, and down again.
I have to use the raw tube and stir it to suck the dirt.
Anyway, every time I reach my 30% water change the sand isn't crystal clear.

Ben I been subscriber for long time I have reached out to several big ciclids dealers for biger chipped up star sapphire I liked buy two I lost mine after 4 years if u could help me I would really appreciate it and would give us good donation to ur channel if u could help I would be grateful I been looking for 3 months pulling my hair out

In my 500, 200 and 340 I have not done a gravel or sand vacuuming in at least 3 years. These 2 biggest tanks are 36 - 40 inches deep, so the depth forced me to look at other ways to keep the bottom clean. I have a simulated bottom mat (Aquacecor), and black sand, spread around the bottom from 0 - 3/4 inch thick. Then I have filter returns and powerheads that will not allow anything to settle on the bottom before being removed in the water column by overflows or filter inlets. Essentially very little area for substrate to develop beneficial bacteria so you need to make sure the beneficial bacteria have other areas to expand their numbers. I do this with sumps and sponges in my filters, HOB's and cannisters. I do not miss gravel vacuuming, it has cut my water change time in half and eliminated on lot of spillage in my fish room.

Great video.🙏🐟🌿👍😊

Vacuuming sand does have a learning curve versus gravel. I’m trying to find the best way to vac without sucking up my tiny baby snails. I’ve tried a filter media bag, cloth and pantyhose material secured over the tip of the tube, which protects the babies, but doesn’t allow detritus to be picked up.

Amazing video like always! Ps you right about the placidochromis jalo reef these little guy are amazing after the first few hours they started exploring looking for food

Appreciate the video 👍🏼

They do sell a siphon made for vacuuming sand

I push down in the sand and pinch the hose to let the sand drop out.

The Python is one of the best investments you can make. After I vacuum the sand. I use my hand to turn the sand over. Sometimes I find air pockets in the substrate.

Ben, I like your channel and the information but this video has been done numerous times and doesn't show much value.

Or get a blenny if its a marine tank lol :) glad u are all set up again

Love your Videos Ben, keep them coming 😀👍