How do you guys and gals keep your sand work clean? First and foremost do you use a "gravel vac" siphon and if so how do you keep it from not sucking out all the sand? When I do a water change I use the gravel vac and just pinch down the siphon hose a lil bit to restrict the flow, but I dont think this works too well. I also don't know if most of you just leave the sand alone and leave it up to the CUC. Is there a general way most people do this or should I start a poll?
How do you guys and gals keep your sand work clean? First and foremost do you use a "gravel vac" siphon and if so how do you keep it from not sucking out all the sand? When I do a water change I use the gravel vac and just pinch down the siphon hose a lil bit to restrict the flow, but I dont think this works too well. I also don't know if most of you just leave the sand alone and leave it up to the CUC. Is there a general way most people do this or should I start a poll?
I've always just sucked the sand. It always falls back down for me. I never really have an issue of sand being sucked up.
Against conventional wisdom, I completely leave my DSB alone. I have snails and worms and a chonch that stir the top layer, but I don't touch it at all.
I suck a little bit of sand up, then put my finger over the end of the tube to let the sand fall back down, lift the tube up above the sand and then let the water flow to pull the detritus out. BUT, I only do this to about 10% of my sandbed each water change.