DSB Maintenance

[mmkeeper]

When I had a freshwater tank I would do water changes and syphon my gravel bed. With a DSB is it recommended to stir and syphin the sand bead? And or is there any thing that should be done to it to keep it functioning properly?

 

[Elmo18]

Do not STIR the sandbed on purpose, unless it is just the top 1/2"to 1". This is the reason why you get cucumbers, nassarius, and other critters to keep the top of the bed 'mulched', or stirred. You want the deeper parts left alone so it will function as a denitrator.......which you will see it working as nitrogen gas are released as bubbles from the sand.

- Ilham

 

[mmkeeper]

Thats what I thought.

 

[LaloV.]

Perhaps only a recharge group of critters every 2 years or so.

 

[mmkeeper]

Critters as in recharging the sand bed or snails and crabs?

 

[LaloV.]

Recharging the in-fauna population.

 

[oldsaint]

Here's a ton of great info on DSBs.