# What to do with platy poop?



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

Get rid of the sand? :help:

Sorry- I really don't have any answer to this question- thus the reason that I avoid white/light colored substrates like the plague. :tongue:

Only tanks I've seen with white sand that looked nice were either newly laid down or were owned by people who were willing to vacuum up and clean the sand on a regular basis before putting it back in the tank. Never appealed to me, sounds like work. :hihi:


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## nonconductive (Jan 29, 2010)

hover the siphon hose above the substrate. the poop should float up, but the sand should stay.

thanks for saying my tank sucks, laura.


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## limeslide (Jan 27, 2010)

Thanks for the tips! I'll see what I can do with a siphon though, as the bottom of the tank is littered with various leaves.


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## wilesbd (Sep 5, 2011)

i hold my vaccum about 1/4-1/2 inch above the sand and itll suck up the debris with very little sand. on occasion if i cant get something ill swirl it alittle to get the debris stired up in the water than vaccum it. 

Kinda depends on your sand, a few years ago i tried using play sand to save money in a large tank but found it was alot lighter than the pet store brand and the slightest movement would cloud up the water and i could never vaccum it because it was so light it would always get drawn up, since then i've stuck with the pet store brand which i've found to be much heavier and very easy to vaccum and clean. 

ive also seen small tanks cleaned with nets, kinda sift thru the sand, takes out the larger stuff, and if you do small amounts at a time it wont stir it up too badly.


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## Alyssa (Sep 16, 2011)

Make a makeshift pooper-scooper like a tiny cat litter scoop! Or just grab the strands with long tweezers.


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## limeslide (Jan 27, 2010)

The net/scooper sound like a good idea, thanks guys!


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## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

lauraleellbp said:


> Never appealed to me, sounds like work.


I'm with you. But I also have a problem with black substrates. They always get covered with dead pond snail shells. lol


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

grow carpet plants. The poop will be hidden from view.


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