Question: How do you remove the poop?

How do you remove the waste?

  • Siphoning

    Votes: 66 27.4%

  • Chopsticks

    Votes: 4 1.7%

  • Turkey Baster

    Votes: 134 55.6%

  • Hand-picked

    Votes: 5 2.1%

  • You don't

    Votes: 16 6.6%

  • Other methods.

    Votes: 16 6.6%
  • Total voters
    241
My turkey baster came with an internal scrubbing brush, should probably use it more than I do.
 
virginia said:
Like the title suggests, I'm actually interested to know how everyone here removes the poop! I've tried to siphon the poop out but it rarely works unless the waste is already somewhat broken down. It never goes up to the tubing. It's too heavy!! Right now I'm actually using chopsticks to remove the fresh ones that has kept its shape... unfortunately, whenever I dip my chopsticks in the tank they think its dinner time and on several occasions my axolotl ate its own poop!!!

I'd like to know how everyone here does it. Maybe I'll get some good ideas here and my axolotl can kick his poop eating habit. It's a great way to keep the tank looking clean, but I doubt it's any good for my axies. :confused:
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I use a turkey blaster...it's taken me a while to get used to it and not sucking up too much sand but it works for me. My Axolotls don't mind the baster being near them either, they seem to be rather amused:)
 
Cas said:
I have had a hard time finding a turkey baster which isnt going to cost me $20 here, I guess people in Australia just don't cook turkey's (I have to admit I've never eaten it).

I just use a bit of plastic tube about 10mm diameter and siphon it out. Cost me nothing as my dad had some at his work, but I've seen the same for a couple of dollars at the local hardware shop. You can get the siphons which have the huge head thing to clean gravel, just take off the column and use the tube part otherwise like you said the poop is too heavy as the column reduces suction.
Click to expand...
I got my turkey baster online from china:) it was about £1.50 free delivery:)
 
Binky said:
I got my turkey baster online from china:) it was about £1.50 free delivery:)
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Just a thought, if you have trouble getting a turkey baster, maybe one of those big plastic syringes would do the job (obviously with no needle). :)
 
I purchased a turkey baster (ready for the new arrival of my axolotls once my tank cycles) from Big W. It was about $8 I think from memory :)
 
Wow! This is an old thread! Anyways, I bought a turkey baster from the dollar store, works wonders however I don't need to use it on 3 of my 4 tanks cause I have internal filters which sucks up the waste anyways.
 
I net it when I can but Toothless has a shoal of greedy fish he can't be bothered to catch, they seem to thrive on his leavings and he doesn't seem to chase them and they don't irritate him either. big poop becomes little poop and the snails eat the smaller poop and make tiny poop :lick:. Siphoning and cleaning the filter regularly does the trick but his tank has been established for some time. The fish also get flakes but seem to prefer to eat from the'fresh 'n' warm' menu with absolutely no ill effects xxx
 
sometimes a turkey baster and sometimes the siphon ,depends how much there is to clean up ,sometimes they are dirty little buggers :)
 
I use a little ramekin dish. I usually get a little bit of sand too but it scoops out without breaking up and then just flush it away.

I should add the ramekin is used specifically for that purpose and doesn't end up holding a dessert at a dinner party at a later date! :D
 
Marian said:
I rarely had the chance to see the poo in my aquarium because it disolves in about 12 hours and then I can see all those tiny green beans that I can only imagine that are great for the plants. These little green beans also disolve in a few hours. So I dont syphon poo unless I see it there the next day too. The only thing I do syphon is the unatean food like bloodworms which get stuck between the leaves of the plants and rot. If you have a cycled aquarium, and a good filter, I think the axie poo is actually a very good nutrient for plants. I also like the look of it, big like a pill and it disolves into thousands of tiny green fertilizing stiks. Sounds eco to me.
Click to expand...
Sounds like the way to produce ammonia and nitrite spikes to me.
 
I use a turkey blaster...it's taken me a while to get used to it and not sucking up too much sand but it works for me
Click to expand...

I'm sorry, but I couldn't help myself ;)

I use a turkey blaster
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That got me on the floor laughing, I would love to see a turkey blaster :lol:

Sorry, I just couldn't resist. But I have made my fair share if typos as well, even in the title of the thread ( epic fail! ). I am not trying to make fun of them I just thought it was a funny typo.

Anyway, to actually contribute the thread, I actually didn't really know the importance of cleaning sand, poop etc. until I cleaned out my tank. It smelled awful. So that's why I am looking on this thread, to find out the best way. It seems turkey basters are the top choice. Well, question answered :happy: -Seth
 
Last edited:
Cas said:
I have had a hard time finding a turkey baster which isnt going to cost me $20 here, I guess people in Australia just don't cook turkey's (I have to admit I've never eaten it).

I just use a bit of plastic tube about 10mm diameter and siphon it out. Cost me nothing as my dad had some at his work, but I've seen the same for a couple of dollars at the local hardware shop. You can get the siphons which have the huge head thing to clean gravel, just take off the column and use the tube part otherwise like you said the poop is too heavy as the column reduces suction.
Click to expand...


Cas, next time I go to Australia, I'll be happy to mail you a turkey baster? It will be december
 
I have some empty glass 'baby food' jars. I put one in the tank as a bin when I use my turkey baster and the waste doesn't float around the tank. There is still plenty to clean with the syphon though when I do my partial water changes. :talker:
 
Depends. If I'm doing a water change and find a poop, I siphon. If I'm not and I see one, then turkey baster.
 
Well I'm an idiot!!!! Dumping the dirty water outside when I can water my house plants with it!!!!!
 
Try eBay for check turkey basters. Also the best possible thing I've used for doing a weekly tank clean and water change is my water syphon/ vacuum. It's sucks up any waste at the bottom of the tank and if you have a larger tank like me it saves so much time. Again cheep as chips on ebay
 
This actually helped me just as much as it helped you. I hardly even knew what turkey basters were before i viewed this!
 
team turkey baster all the way! as long as you move decently slowly, it should float away or break up
 
I have always used the turkey baster, but now that they're in a 40 gallon tall tank, I have to find another way as I can't reach the bottom with it. I will probably end up just it up siphoning during water changes, but I did add ghost shrimp that will hopefully help out with the mess. I expected my axies to eat the shrimp, but they just ignore the little guys. I've even seen the shrimp sitting on my axies without a care in the world! :eek:
 
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