siphon dsb?

bundy13 · 01/05/2007, 01:50 AM

should i be siphoning dsb in my display? when i do weekly maintance

or my sump wich contains
Live rock and 5 inch sand bed?

or should i just leve it alone ,thanks

i have good flow 40x in my display

just my trates keep going up after i get a maintance visit ,i see that they are siphoning display and sump

any thought thanks

aquarius77 · 01/05/2007, 01:57 AM

If it is a true deep sand bed NO way should they be siphoning it.

SuperNerd · 01/05/2007, 02:12 AM

I think it depends on the grain size.

JRistau81 · 01/05/2007, 02:16 AM

Yeah you definitely should not vaccuum a dsb. The whole idea lies in anaerobic and anoxic bacteria. Meaning little oxygen and no oxygen. By siphoning it, you introduce oxygen killing these beneficial bacteria. Which for one thing eliminates the functionality of the bacteria, and also causes a spike in ammonia from the decomposing of the bacteria, thus raising the nitrates after a mini cycle

aquarius77 · 01/05/2007, 02:52 AM

JR nailed it right on. A dsb is not supposed to be sucked clean with every water change. I read people stir up like maybe the top inch every so often at most.

drummereef · 01/05/2007, 03:24 AM

Your cleanup crew should be keeping your sandbed clean and stirred. You should not siphon a dsb.

bundy13 · 01/05/2007, 01:02 PM

the bed in my sump is 5 in. the bed in my display is 3 in. i will not siphon thanks

01/05/2007, 01:50 AM	#1
bundy13 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 353	siphon dsb? should i be siphoning dsb in my display? when i do weekly maintance or my sump wich contains Live rock and 5 inch sand bed? or should i just leve it alone ,thanks i have good flow 40x in my display just my trates keep going up after i get a maintance visit ,i see that they are siphoning display and sump any thought thanks

01/05/2007, 02:12 AM	#3
SuperNerd Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: SoCal/Left Side- USA Posts: 4,572	I think it depends on the grain size. __________________ I said fraggit! Current Tank Info: M-728 Combat Engineer (based on M60 hull). M-3 Lee Medium (British version with squatter).

01/05/2007, 02:16 AM	#4
JRistau81 Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Springfield, Illinois Posts: 264	Yeah you definitely should not vaccuum a dsb. The whole idea lies in anaerobic and anoxic bacteria. Meaning little oxygen and no oxygen. By siphoning it, you introduce oxygen killing these beneficial bacteria. Which for one thing eliminates the functionality of the bacteria, and also causes a spike in ammonia from the decomposing of the bacteria, thus raising the nitrates after a mini cycle __________________ I like pigs. Dogs look up to us; cats look down on us, but pigs treat us as equals. - Winston Churchill Current Tank Info: 150 gallon, 2 Hamilton 400w 14K Metal halide, Red Sea Berlin Skimmer (Don't scoff, it works well), 150-200 lbs LR, 50 lbs LS, 100 lbs Southdown...anything else?

01/05/2007, 03:24 AM	#6
drummereef Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: STL Posts: 14,754	Your cleanup crew should be keeping your sandbed clean and stirred. You should not siphon a dsb. __________________ -Brett 180g Marineland Starfire In-Wall 278 gallon system

01/05/2007, 01:02 PM	#7
bundy13 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 353	ok thanks the bed in my sump is 5 in. the bed in my display is 3 in. i will not siphon thanks

01/05/2007, 01:57 AM	#2
aquarius77 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Highland, Il Posts: 2,198	If it is a true deep sand bed NO way should they be siphoning it.

01/05/2007, 02:52 AM	#5
aquarius77 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Highland, Il Posts: 2,198	JR nailed it right on. A dsb is not supposed to be sucked clean with every water change. I read people stir up like maybe the top inch every so often at most.