Maintaining A Sand Substrate In Your Aquarium! KGTropicals!! 

Check out our new series "10 Things" where we cover the top 10 things you should know about fish keeping topics!! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-aE9tr-ujdsY.html

Cool trick is to attach a fork, piece of comb, whatever, to the end of your siphon hose. Can rough up the surface to make the junk float up, poke around for air pockets, and help put stuff back nice. I'm clumsy, so the added pokey bits help me out with control and general coordination. Hope this helps anyone!

I've got white sand, and yes it does show every speck of uneaten food and poop, but it also motivates me to clean my tank far more often than I would with black sand. Looks clean and fresh, and you can see fish swim along the bottom at night, when lights are off and bottom feeders are out.

snails (malaysians) or loaches or Cory will help release this air pockets which is really neat because they regularly mess around with the sand 24/7

Sand is also good for fish that have sensitive whiskers like Corydoras and other scavengers and bottom dwellers, as it minimises risk to their whiskers they also can lay eggs in/under the sand. I use a fine net and a gentle back and forth motion over the top to get the waste to rise than scope most of it before the water change and after feeds, I don’t go too rough as to disturb the sand but than I let it settle again and vacuum the rest for the water change. After that I move my hands through the sand re organising it as a number of my sons fish love excavating and move it around regularly (my son is 4 which is why I do the main work he helps but as much as a 4 year old can when they can’t reach the top of the tank without a step) If you would like to see his tank we made a video and put it on a few weeks back he has some new fish in there now so we will probably do an update soon, as well as some fry in another tank as one of his guppies gave birth. I forgot how addictive fish are and how one tank breedings into multiple tanks so rapidly hahaha.

Plants also help deal with sand air pockets as the roots create gaps to the surface to prevent the air from collecting hopefully

Had a discus tank with sand. Never did any vacuuming. I had a herd of corys that spent their day digging and turning the sand and keeping the waste in the water column until it got sucked into the sump.

I spent $120 dollars on sand. should have done my research before hand. Looks amazing though.

You could call it a silent but deadly

I use a see through plastic bic pen tube on a hose to clean as I find it easy to get in around and under objects and stir up small areas so as not to contaminate the sand and get rid of gases. Plus you can skim up the dirty sand clean it then add it back later.

I was just thinking about gravel versus sand. You’re video was very clear and helpful. And your speaking style and volume was very pleasant and friendly. Thank you!

Thank you so much for this video! I've been looking for this type of info for a few months as I've just started being an aquarium enthusiast. I quickly became interested in aqua scaping and sand is a BEAUTIFUL substrate. I am dealing with cloudiness as I did not clean the sand. I got black sand substrate. I'm thinking of starting over to get the water clear. Thank you for the cleaning and gas pocket info. I am now a loyal subscriber!! THANK YOU AGAIN!!

Thanks John. My next project will be a sand bottom, so this was timely.

I use it all the time and I love it . The fish love it especially the Corydoras. Thank you for the cleaning advise .

🤣🤣 those plekos on the outside of the tank had me too confused for a minute

You guys have been a lifesaver in setting up my first aquarium, thank you so much

Honestly subscribed because you create the most common typical things people don’t normally think about. I’m a surgeon, and I’m always entertained watching your videos, things I’m already aware of, but just good to watch and learn every day! Keep up this good work, one of the rarest things I’ve saw on a channel.

Thank you so much !!! I’m remodeling my tank and I did not know how to clean sand this was so helpful ❤️❤️❤️

thanks for the info ! good to know i have a 75 gal running a fluval 406 with 2 convics , 2 green terror , 2 silvini , 2 rubber lip and 3 pictus cats on 50 lbs of super naturals . its all about a month old and running great . i liked that you have all fluval canisters in the background . i love it . cant wait to see more videos . thanks for the upload

I'd do a gentle stirring/back forwards motion above the surface with the syphon inlet and the current it creates floats the crap off the top of the sand.

Very helpful! I have sand on top of organic dirt for a planted tank, plants are surprisingly doing well, always could use good tips!

Thanks so much for these vids, they help me out so much. I’m a new betta fish keeper and I’m excited to give my betta a long and happy life in his sand aquarium.

I changed to sand 4 years ago and it's so much better. Thanks for the video.

John, great video. I just set up my 75G and decided to use pool filter sand based on your video. Looks great and saved a ton of money! True: rinse, rinse, rinse!!!!!

It’s wild that I stumbled across this video because I just bought a 55G and I’m seriously considering using sand in this one. I really want that totally natural look - I want my tank to look like I stuck my head under water in a pond or river. I have a 5G and a small bag of white sand that I’m going to try first, but it’s nice to see a video about pros, cons, and maintenance. Actually, your tanks look so darn pretty with sand, that was my motivation to switch. I like the idea that waste stays on the surface and I don’t have to be so aggressive with a vacuum like I do with substrate. And I’ve heard that cory cats are much happier in sand rather than gravel, so that’s another plus. Thanks, John.

Awesome video thank you. 30 years in the hobby still learning. I use blaxk diamond sand blasting sand from traxtor supply. Already washed you only need a quick rinse and your tank will be cloud free. Make sure it is course and not fine they sell different micron sizes.

I'm new to the hobby and addicted!! Thank you for the great info in your videos👊👊

I didnt know about the gas pockets, so thanks for the info. I'm going out to buy my first sand substrate and thought it might be a good idea to research it first, glad I did 😁 kind regards from a newbie ❤

lesson learned..."Don't Be Lazy!"

Thanks for this vid! I just switched from gravel to sand in my 5 gallon and I was worried after hearing about the gas pockets. But now that I know how to prevent them I feel much better 😁

Good point about the hover and rake on the back stroke. Thanks for sharing

We have a pond on our property with a beautiful sand bottom and I set up a tank with that sand before with great results. One thing to note is that I used Malaysian trumpet snails and buried them across the tank and I never had to worry about pockets or air. I then used cone snails with ramshorn snails for the rest of the heavy lifting to great effect. The mayalsian trumpets aerate the substrate whilst they eat.

The PITA you don't mention is that because of the increased delicacy and time in vacuuming the sand, you're also pulling out much more water, and thus dramatically increasing how much is replaced.

Amazing info! Very clear spoken and understandable I appreciate this so much

the "plunge method" works wonders on sand, for occasional deep cleaning and mixing it around! you just gotta keep a finger on the other end of the hose, to moderate the flow. it only takes a drizzling, to fluidise the sand inside the tube.

I find it SO much easier to just use the hose itself to go around the surface. The suction is way more powerful as well, so you just have to be close, instead of having to stir it up

I use sand because I have goldfish and it gives them something natural to do. They sift all day long!

That little water banana plant is adorable!

Always love your educational vids! So helpful to a newcomer to the hobby.

Your videos have helped me and taught me a lot of useful and helpful things. Thank you!!

Thank you. Setting up my first sand tank this week.

I loved how you explained this. Very thorough video 👍

Glad i watched this... Thank you... I'll be cleaning my sand substrate in 2 of my tanks tomorrow

I recently switched from gravel to black sand in my 10 gal betta tank. It looks great and anchoring plants is so much easier! :D

You're very good at putting information out that is very comprehensive x thank-you x

Planning to change my gravel stone to sand, luckily I watched this video. Really helpful!

I have found that having creatures that like to burrown in sand help a lot, like trumpet snails or loaches...providing they're compatible with the inhabitants.

btw- Pool filter sand is so firm,you could actually do a great zen tank with the sand raked in rings around a single rock. Just avoid the fish that stir things and you would be surprised how long it keeps the rings in an aquarium.

Hey man I really needed to hear what all you said and thanks alot for helping me out you were right on and helped me fix my tank problem thanks brother

Malaysian trumpet snails are a great choice for preventing Gass pockets in sand too! Because they constantly traverse the sand both on top and burrowing beneath gas doesn't have a chance to accumulate

This guy is right on point he's right obviously knows what he's talking about I do the same stuff you looking for advice this is the guy

I went with sand from the beginning. My first tank is my goldfish tank, and sand was recommended because grazing goldfish have been known to choke on gravel. I decided I liked the look of it better than gravel, so I used it in the tetra tank I set up at work as well. Then I got into freshwater shrimp, and sand is much easier for them to scavenge through.

Girly sand doesn't fart...it poots.

I really thank you for the advice John you make things easier for me 👍🏿

Good stuff KGTropicals I was thinking about switching over too now I think I might thx 👍🏽

Thanks to your video I just put sand in my tank, fortunately I bought a sand specifically made for tanks, it was super clean I had to rinse about twice only and it's very white, which I prefer over the brown looking sand, although it was a little more pricey than expected it looks amazing! My bichirs and ghost knife love it.

thanks. switching to a 10 to a 20 gallon and i want a natural look. this was great info to know

So glad i saw this video, i have a ton of sandbags from our hurricane season lol. Its surprisingly clean too though, i was shocked once i put it in water

Great info, few things I was not doing but will now, thanks John

Thanks for posting this, I like the natural.

Great video.. makes me want to put up 'another' tank using sand. Thanks John!!

great video again , keeping it nice and simple but getting your messages across !!!

A tip I use... when your first staring a new or total substrate change after washing the sand and installing it and most things your going to have in the tank, I run a water supply and a siphon at the same time for a few hours until the tank is totally clear... then and only then do I add other tank water or turn on filters.... Sand silt is almost impossible to filter out like organic matter, so starting out with a settled tank will go a long way in setting things right from the beginning...

Great info!# Thanks. Have 8 tanks, 6 have play sand, didn't know about stirring it often. But will do it from now on!

god finally got someone saying something good and releaving. great video helped me a lot

As usual your videos are educating . Thank you 😁

Sand can wreck havoc on the impeller shafts and the magnets so I use pre filter sponges on my filter intake tubes. Granted its not likely to happen but isn't risk mitigation the name of game? Scuba Steve says all the time!Lol

Definitely going to remove the sand out of mine now

Similarly to Memories Channel's comment, I zip tied a couple of plastic cocktail stirrers to the siphon tube. They protrude down from the tube and stir up my sand while vacuuming. The length of the stirrers can be adjusted to work with your sand's grain size.

Great video, my gold fish keep the sand very clean. I have a small 20 gallon with 2 goldfish and 2 small soft shell turtles and so far no problems.

Great info, never tried sand before, but much more likely now after this very informative video. Thanks John.

that was awesome huge help coz i just add sand in my tank ur the man

Hi. I'm not sure if you see new comments on older videos, but I thought I would try. I have a suggestion for a subscriber poll: should the arowana tank remain bare bottom? Thanks for all you do!

I just turn on the filter, stir up the sand with a chopstick and all the crap gets sucked up. Lowe's in my area sells 50lbs of all purpose sand for $5.

Didn't know about the gas pockets so thank you for sharing this info

Good info. Here's the other side though, I have white sand and cleaning it is a pain in the butt. Firstly you need light to be on so if you have a box top and the light is fixed on the box then you'd need another light source as you have to dismantle the top cover. No matter how careful you are, you'll still end up sucking some sand out, mind you, even if you gently stir the top of sand. Also, when you siphon it, it can never be as clean as gravel because in the gravel the waste is light enough to get sucked out and gravel is heavy enough to not get sucked out, so like a vaccum cleaner, you can push hard. THIS IS THE WORST DISADVANTAGE: If you are not careful enough not to allow sand to settle down first before turning on your canister, the sand will get stuck in your motor or impeller and make that krrrrrrrrrrr sound and damage the canister in the long run, so you have to not only clean the impeller, but also the motor evrytime you hear the canister making weird krrrrrr sound especially when switching on and off. Also, sand can get sucker into your mechanical filtration requiring you to change sponges every once in a while. If you have fine aqua soil in the bottom most layer like I do then cleaning is a bigger headache because you can't afford to stir up the sand even a little bit, so planter aquariums with fine soil should not have sand as the top layer. This may not be an issue for everyone but I use a generic utensil scrubber to clean algae off the glass and when you reach the bottom layer, you have to be very careful while scrapping it out,otherwise you will end up disturbing sand and it takes a while for sand to settle down. Goodluck.

Great video! Thanks for explaining!

Pool sand looks 👍. I love it

I installed a ball valve at the end of my gravel vacuum. That allows me to reduce the flow of the water and I can vacuum my sand without siphoning it out of the tank.

Most helpful info! Thank you! 🐠🐠🐠🐟🐠

Had sand and a very small amount of gravel in my tanks for better than 30 years. The plants and fish love it. Never clean the sand the fish keep it clean.

Sand blasting sand works good too. It comes in different size granules.

Good to know that there are pro's and con's before getting into it

Very informative video. Thank you KG

o wow glad I found this video! new to hobby and just pulled gravel out of tank to do sand... figured I better research how to keep it clean and found your video first!! thanks for the tips

One of the tips hobbyists I know use is using a rubber band and attaching a chop stick or something similar to the end of the cup of there python and poke that into the sand and drag that through the sand as they scan the surface to pick up detritus etc.

Needed this. Thanks!

I've found that using a air hose for between water change poop cleaning works really well. you can get a lot off poop with little sand/water being removal with

Great video! I've got sand in my 56-gallon goldfish tank and 29-gallon community tank :)

Thanks, I just got a sand tank and this helps a lot

Great video , that keeps me from putting sand in my fish tank every time i think about it ,,,,

Thanks for the tips very good stuff i needed this cause i was scared to suck up the sand into the vaccuum very good stuff thank you.

8$ for sand mix 20kg @home depot........cory's love it , angelfish doing great.....

Just wanted to stop by and show some love to your channel. Thanks for all the helpful info! Havent had a aquarium since I was a kid now im working on setting up a 75 gallon south American chiclid tank for my home! Still debating on what filtration I want to use leaning towards canister filter or sump

I've had aquariums for decades...ALL with sand substrate. I never do water changes, except when cleaning the tank about once a year. I have NEVER heard of 'gas pockets' within the sand, nor have I seen any bubbles. More importantly, I have never lost a fish to ammonia, ph, nor anything else related to the water quality. The secret to it....keep your sump and filter floss clean. I change my filter floss about twice a month on all my tanks.... mostly because I like to overfeed.....but I have NEVER had to do a water change due to ammonia or gas.

4:02 my Hemichromis lifalil helps me maintaining that cuz when the mother is pregnat the father digging holes all around the aquarium cuz the babys will sit in that later an, now my aquarium looks like the surface of the moon 😂😂😂 so much holes in the sand but yeah it really helps most of the air bubbles are not anymore in the sand ,so yeah i work with my fishies together during maintainig the sand

Thanks for the video I didn't know about the gas pockets and went took out all but one fish and moved some items when it popped got him out in time thanks for the info

Man,I just keep running into a solution with you on here! Subscribed

Thanks dude. Was having trouble sucking all the poop out with the siphon, gonna try the light scrape with the tube.

Natural Sand & Natural 🌱Plants all the way✨🙌🏻