# how to collect/trap poop in aquarium



## hi-revs (Nov 3, 2010)

This may be a real dumb question as I've been keeping my aquarium for 8yrs with no major outbreaks of anything causing death.

So how is wish waste supposed to be collected? By the filter? 
Is pieces of waste floating around supposed to break down in the water over time, then gets collected into the filter? Or is the filter supposed to pick up the chunks of waste? Think pleco poop.

I'm asking because my tank is over filtered, yet I still see poop and other stuff in my aquarium.

In my 125g I run two XP4, one XP3, one Korallia 1400 powerheads, one Coralife 2900gph powerheads. 
(I have one tray of sponges in each filter. And all other baskets filled with bio rings)

I believe that that's plenty of filtration and circulation but I still see crap in my water floating around.

I know water changes will remove the poop, but it comes back within a few days.

My water is crystal clear with a bit of crap collecting/floating around.


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## dino (Aug 29, 2011)

I don't think you over filtered at all. I ran 2 fx5 and a xp4 on my 125


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## Daryl (Jun 1, 2010)

I know some people with large tanks install under gravel jets, which are supposed to stir up the poop so that it gets picked up more readily by your filters. I've had success by placing my filter intakes lower in the water column, about 4" above the substrate.


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## charles (Apr 21, 2010)

The waste will break down. Filter also sucks them up and the waste gets break down in there as well.


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## outsider (Jan 13, 2015)

Use Aquarium Gravel Vacuum to do water change unless you have substrate that design for planted tank which means you can't vacuum them.

Bacterial lives on the gravel will break down the waste/poop and you vacuum out the rest during your weekly water change. Unless you have ocd or your fish poop a lot, I won't worry about it.


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## hi-revs (Nov 3, 2010)

Thanks everyone. I guess I'm just a little too ocd about seeing floaties


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