Poo factory.

Jonnybucko · 02/09/2010, 03:03 PM

Just out of curiosity, is there anything I can do to remove the fish poo from my tank. I was told that disturbing the sand in a saltwater aquarium is the kiss of death, so I've ruled out siphoning. Are there any creatures that will take care of this problem?

spleify · 02/09/2010, 03:09 PM

I'm sure that there are some animals that will hep eat some of it and some that will help stir the sand bed up enough to keep it from settling so much, but I will leave it up to the folks that know about these animals better.

You can also use a powerhead and/or a turkey baster and getting everything back in to suspension and adding a filter sock to your drain line to help pick some of it up. I do this and I know other reefers that do this weekly, its called storming the tank, like when storm would move through a reef in the ocean, and moving everything around and help clean an area.

HTH

Chiefsurfer · 02/09/2010, 03:23 PM

If you have a shallow sand-bed, I would regularly syphon it with every WC. If it is a DSB, let it be. I would get some nessarius snails, maybe a cucumber to sift the sand and keep it healthy. The cucumbers are SOLELY detrivores. So they will eat left-over food and fish-poo. I have 2 in my tank, and they do quite the job eating dirty sand, and pooping out clean.

If you have gone more than 3 weeks without syphoning/stirring the sand-bed, and you are stocked with fish and corals, I would NOT disturb any sand-bed, shallow or deep.

Jonnybucko · 02/09/2010, 03:26 PM

If I have a FOWLR tank, will the cucumbers be ok in there? I have 2 bangghi cardinals, 2 parrotfish, 6 hermit crabs & a scooter blennie.

Chiefsurfer · 02/09/2010, 03:27 PM

the blennie, hermits, and cardinals will do NOTHING to the cucumbers, mine crawl right over it as if it were another piece of rock. The parrotfish I don't know about.

Fizz71 · 02/09/2010, 03:30 PM

As long as you have fine sand and not gravel you should be OK. I'd hate to constipate the little guy.

I have a huge black cuke (whew..had to watch the spelling there) and somewhere a tiny tiger tail but I don't see him often. The black cuc is a pop-eating machine.... I also have nassarius snails, brittle stars, and tons of other creatures in my clean up crew. IMO they have the most important job in your tank so stock them well!!!!

Jonnybucko · 02/09/2010, 03:37 PM

I have a 55 gallon tank. I have a nice layer of live sand over small grained dead sand. Any other thoughts on what I could get that will get along with my fish and crabs?

davenia7 · 02/09/2010, 03:42 PM

My tiger pistol stirs the crap out of my sand with his constant excavations. We are currently in a battle of wits as I don't like the sand hills he keeps making in my front area. I keep filter floss in my HOB that I replace every 4 days, after a turkey basting, dowel stirring.

lordofthereef · 02/09/2010, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fizz71

I have a huge black cuke (whew..had to watch the spelling there) and somewhere a tiny tiger tail but I don't see him often.

02/09/2010, 03:03 PM	#1
Jonnybucko Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 88	Poo factory. Just out of curiosity, is there anything I can do to remove the fish poo from my tank. I was told that disturbing the sand in a saltwater aquarium is the kiss of death, so I've ruled out siphoning. Are there any creatures that will take care of this problem?

02/09/2010, 03:09 PM	#2
spleify Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Denver, Colorado Posts: 9,579	I'm sure that there are some animals that will hep eat some of it and some that will help stir the sand bed up enough to keep it from settling so much, but I will leave it up to the folks that know about these animals better. You can also use a powerhead and/or a turkey baster and getting everything back in to suspension and adding a filter sock to your drain line to help pick some of it up. I do this and I know other reefers that do this weekly, its called storming the tank, like when storm would move through a reef in the ocean, and moving everything around and help clean an area. HTH __________________ Make it a Great Day!!!! Current Tank Info: 60 gal SPS cube, with 25 gal refugium, 400W MH, DIY Lumenarc III, DIY skimmer, DIY stand and canopy. 40 breeder LPS with 40 gallon sump, DIY stand, 250W MH

02/09/2010, 03:23 PM	#3
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	If you have a shallow sand-bed, I would regularly syphon it with every WC. If it is a DSB, let it be. I would get some nessarius snails, maybe a cucumber to sift the sand and keep it healthy. The cucumbers are SOLELY detrivores. So they will eat left-over food and fish-poo. I have 2 in my tank, and they do quite the job eating dirty sand, and pooping out clean. If you have gone more than 3 weeks without syphoning/stirring the sand-bed, and you are stocked with fish and corals, I would NOT disturb any sand-bed, shallow or deep. __________________ Chief Current Tank: 20 Gallon tall, 4-bulb t5 HO, Eshopps psk75H, ac-70 fuge. So far, green clown goby, striped goby, more gorillas than I wish I had, 5 SPS frags, 3 LPS Frags, 1 Softee, Turkey Wing Clam. Plan for the future: 120 gallon 4ft glass tank. Current Tank Info: 20 gallon tall Reef Tank

02/09/2010, 03:27 PM	#5
Chiefsurfer Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Seaside Park, NJ Posts: 2,138	the blennie, hermits, and cardinals will do NOTHING to the cucumbers, mine crawl right over it as if it were another piece of rock. The parrotfish I don't know about. __________________ Chief Current Tank: 20 Gallon tall, 4-bulb t5 HO, Eshopps psk75H, ac-70 fuge. So far, green clown goby, striped goby, more gorillas than I wish I had, 5 SPS frags, 3 LPS Frags, 1 Softee, Turkey Wing Clam. Plan for the future: 120 gallon 4ft glass tank. Current Tank Info: 20 gallon tall Reef Tank

02/09/2010, 03:42 PM	#8
davenia7 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Goose Creek, SC Posts: 238	My tiger pistol stirs the crap out of my sand with his constant excavations. We are currently in a battle of wits as I don't like the sand hills he keeps making in my front area. I keep filter floss in my HOB that I replace every 4 days, after a turkey basting, dowel stirring. __________________ 5 gal. salt nano 20L salt nano 55 gal. malawi cichlid community

02/09/2010, 03:26 PM	#4
Jonnybucko Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 88	If I have a FOWLR tank, will the cucumbers be ok in there? I have 2 bangghi cardinals, 2 parrotfish, 6 hermit crabs & a scooter blennie.

02/09/2010, 03:30 PM	#6
Fizz71 FragSwapper Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: West Lawn, PA Posts: 5,800	As long as you have fine sand and not gravel you should be OK. I'd hate to constipate the little guy. I have a huge black cuke (whew..had to watch the spelling there) and somewhere a tiny tiger tail but I don't see him often. The black cuc is a pop-eating machine.... I also have nassarius snails, brittle stars, and tons of other creatures in my clean up crew. IMO they have the most important job in your tank so stock them well!!!!

02/09/2010, 03:37 PM	#7
Jonnybucko Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 88	I have a 55 gallon tank. I have a nice layer of live sand over small grained dead sand. Any other thoughts on what I could get that will get along with my fish and crabs?