stupid sand question

[ali000]

Hi
This is probably a very stupid question...

With sand having very small particles has anyone found that it goes up the syphon/hoover thingy when doing a water change?

I'm due to change the water today and just thought i'd ask the question before I try it and lose half my substrate!

 

[Blackhawk IV]

if you washed the sand before you put it in the tank there should be no problem should there? i dont think you need to worry too much. any disturbed sand would have came up with the (species name) moving around anyway.

 

[Saspotato]

Yea you will lose some sand when you clean your tank. You can always put it back into the tank though. Sand needs to be disturbed a bit during cleaning anyway to expose buried waste and to release any gas created by waste so you should give it a good stir when you are cleaning. I started with a very thick layer of sand but I have reduced it a fair bit when cleaning as it means it is easier to see waste so I wouldn't be too concerned if you lose some substrate, you don't need much! It is whatever you find aesthetically pleasing

 

[ali000]

Thanks for that, I did the water change and lost a small amount of sand, but it was the great substrate dissappearance thet I was expecting
Many Thanks