Keeping the Sand Bed Clean

[pblutang]

What is the best cleaner crew to keep my sand bed clean? I have a 55 gallon with 2" of sugar sand. Diatom bloom just about over. I have 1 nausarius (spelling) snail, several ceriths, 1 turbo snail and a few hermit crabs. I noticed where the nausarius is the sand bed stays pretty clean. Wondering if I should throw in more or get a sand sifting star.

 

[Xtremedave67]

we just got a orange spotted sifting goby ( many warn against them, because they do stir up sand lot and may cause rocks to fall by burrowing) but he is doing great, our sand never looked better.

 

[pblutang]

I heard they do pretty good. I have a two spotted goby but he hasnt done much sandsifting.

 

[cephcrazy]

Nassurus snails, cerith snails load up on the snails can't really have to many and a cucumber shifter i think...

 

[jag3534]

There are some sand sifiting snails, barrier gets them in sometimes, they are awesome!

 

[Jesse_emel]

I have used and continue to use fighting conch snail for sand cleaning. they are fun to watch and look like they have a vacuum nose like a small shelled elephant. I have 2 working my 67 gallon display but probably need 2-4 more

 

[pblutang]

I gotta make a trip to Barrier to pick more up. Good to know what works for everyone.

 

[lvsuckerfish]

we just got a orange spotted sifting goby ( many warn against them, because they do stir up sand lot and may cause rocks to fall by burrowing) but he is doing great, our sand never looked better.

that one is a sand shifting fool lol glad he is doing good for you.

 

[OldFishMan]

I use the Siphon to clean my sand --- I have a large anemone and a sand moving Nemo --- sand on right side of my tank and gravel on the left --- well, it started that way !

Replace it with --- Southdown aragonite sold at Home Depot --- straight from "RANDY HOLMES-FARLEY"

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/july2002/chem.htm

Pour your old water over it and let is sit for a bit --- stir it up a few times and add it --- it will not lower your PH / chemistry as much this way.

Enjoy

 

[DonW]

Replace it with --- Southdown aragonite sold at Home Depot --- straight from "RANDY HOLMES-FARLEY"

I dont think HD has sold southdown in years.

Don

 

[Cwazy Clown]

definitely fighting conchs if you cant get another fish. I use to think nassarius were good until I got a fighting conch for my 8g. amazing. but you do have to have some nassarius/ceriths to eat the conch's poop.

 

[freakin]

Check out http://reefcleaners.org/

They can design a custom cleanup crew for you and usually give you quite a bit of extra with your shipment.

They are pretty well regarded

 

[pblutang]

I picked up a fighting conch from Barrier. They are pretty cool to watch.

 

[OldFishMan]

Really, Don. I haven't bought any in years. Use Dolomite --- get a little Mag too !

Enjoy

 

[DonW]

Really, Don. I haven't bought any in years. Use Dolomite --- get a little Mag too !

Enjoy

:lol: Dolomite sold at home centers has to many impurities these days. Besides it need to be disolved in a low ph enviroment such as a ca reactor.

Don

 

[OldFishMan]

There is a low PH environment just under the surface of the substrate. Else, all the fancy high cost substrate would be of little use.

OFM

 

[returnofsid]

It's a huge myth that our substrates help sustain and buffer our pH. "Supposedly," as our pH drops, a slight amount of our substrate, including dolomite, dissolve, increasing out pH. The problem with this is, our pH would have to drop below 6.8, before the substrate even slightly dissolves.

 

[DonW]

There is a low PH environment just under the surface of the substrate. Else, all the fancy high cost substrate would be of little use.

OFM

No its not just below the surface. Low ph/low o2 is well below the surface thus why we have dsb's. You cant just dump dolomite in the tank and expect it to dissolve. The fancy high cost substrate are of little use unless your looking for purity. Purity is the only reason to buck up the money on good sand. This is also the reason pixie dust and water like purple up actually work. Its poured into the tank with hopes to make its way deep into the LR. As it dissolves over time it skews your alk. Dolomite would do nearly nothing for Mg with the small amounts that would actually make it into the LR. In fact it doesnt do much when used in a CARX being dissolved entirely.

Don

 

[OldFishMan]

You are both wrong.

OFM

 

[DonW]

You are both wrong.

OFM

Please provide some up to date science. "you are both wrong" really doesnt help everyone to understand.


Don