dirty sand bed?

popper231 · 03/18/2010, 03:51 PM

hey guyz, so i have this 300 gallon tank running for a total of 5 weeks now. the first 3 weeks, there were no fish, so the sand bed is super clean and white. i use an etss800, 30 gallon fuge with 20 mangroves and a 40 gallon sump. about two weeks ago, I added 8 fishes from 1-3" each. now I can definitely see the sand bed is getting dirtier. is my skimmer not working hard enough? i only use 36 watt pc light on half the tank,other half is dark, and its only 2 hours a day, rest of the day uses the blue light and blue moon led.

any idea?
thanks

mike_cmu04 · 03/18/2010, 07:00 PM

some more flow to keep that stuff suspended will help, also a good cleanup crew will help stir the sand

J_enix · 03/18/2010, 07:45 PM

Can never have enough cleaning crew it seems, you could also add a diamond goby to really keep the sand bed stirred up.

silberspieler · 03/20/2010, 12:41 PM

I have the same problem too

betat · 03/20/2010, 01:57 PM

Another vote for a goby. Will do a better job than typical clean up crew of crabs and snails.

FrozenSeas · 03/21/2010, 05:44 PM

The only problem with using a sand sifting fish is that they will shoot the sand every where like on top of your corals and rocks. They also leave large hills all over. I had one and he did a great job but I was glad when he carpet surfed a year or so after I got him.

03/18/2010, 03:51 PM	#1
popper231 Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: SJC \ Palo Alto Posts: 676	dirty sand bed? hey guyz, so i have this 300 gallon tank running for a total of 5 weeks now. the first 3 weeks, there were no fish, so the sand bed is super clean and white. i use an etss800, 30 gallon fuge with 20 mangroves and a 40 gallon sump. about two weeks ago, I added 8 fishes from 1-3" each. now I can definitely see the sand bed is getting dirtier. is my skimmer not working hard enough? i only use 36 watt pc light on half the tank,other half is dark, and its only 2 hours a day, rest of the day uses the blue light and blue moon led. any idea? thanks

03/18/2010, 07:00 PM	#2
mike_cmu04 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Shepherd, Mi Posts: 2,348	some more flow to keep that stuff suspended will help, also a good cleanup crew will help stir the sand

03/18/2010, 07:45 PM	#3
J_enix Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Moore Posts: 34	Can never have enough cleaning crew it seems, you could also add a diamond goby to really keep the sand bed stirred up.

03/20/2010, 12:41 PM	#4
silberspieler Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: New York Posts: 58	I have the same problem too

03/20/2010, 01:57 PM	#5
betat Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Music City Posts: 105	Another vote for a goby. Will do a better job than typical clean up crew of crabs and snails.

03/21/2010, 05:44 PM	#6
FrozenSeas Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 58	The only problem with using a sand sifting fish is that they will shoot the sand every where like on top of your corals and rocks. They also leave large hills all over. I had one and he did a great job but I was glad when he carpet surfed a year or so after I got him.