Suggestions Needed

stang5_o2002 · 06/29/2006, 06:28 PM

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Ok, here goes. I've only been in this hobby for about 8 months, and i've learned a lot in that time. Im addicted, and now have 3 tanks. The only problem is, my first tank, a 46 gal bowfront. I started the tank before i discovered these boards, and made a lot of mistakes that arent easily corrected. The one that is turning out to be a problem is my sandbed. It always looks like crap. I have a sandsifting star, and about 75 nassaurius snails to keep the top stirred up, but it doesnt help. I think it may be because i used walmart play sand. The bag didnt say what it was made of, but it was white and looked good at first. I did the vinegar test and it did fizz a little, but not much. I keep getting cyano in one corner no matter how i adjust the flow. I have never had a problem with any other kind of algae. The rest of the sand usually looks kinda brownish with green and red speckles. I hate this because the rockwork is so pretty and clean looking. The other problem is that my rock is sitting directly on the bottom of the tank and the sand was added around the rock, which i have learned is not a good thing. All corals and other inhabitants are very healthy and seem to be thriving.

The tank is almost 8 months old, and i have coraline starting to cover everything, which I like. So, my question is, is there anything I can do remedy my problems with out a complete teardown? I dont have anywhere to put all the tank inhabitants, and I dont want to do anything that is going to cause a crash. Should I change out the sandbed slowly? Or should I just add the right kind of sand on top of whats there? If I have to tear it all down, what can i do to make the change as stress free for everthing living in the tank? I could put it all in tubs, but if I do that, will I have to go through the long process of cylcling the tank again?

For equipment, I have two 240 gph powerheads facing the front of the tank from the back corners about half way down. One facing slightly up, and one facing slightly down. I have a large HOB power filter that is kept very clean. For a skimmer i have a Sealcone 100. I know its junk, but for now thats all I have until I can afford a better one. I also have a 110gph powerhead near the surface in the rear of the tank facing straight up to keep the surface agitated. I have been doing weekly 15 gal waterchanges using distilled water (which adds up to a lot of $ after a while) for the last 3 weeks, and I did 10 gal bi weekly before that.

Sooo, if anyone has any ideas lets hear em. I want my tank to look like the ones i see in pictures with a nice white clean sandbed.

crustin · 06/29/2006, 07:41 PM

sounds like a bio- load problems

castor · 06/29/2006, 08:10 PM

get a black sea cucumber. They are a tiny bit toxic but they are very hard to kill. My cousins tank crashed and he just left it for a month and the cucumber was still alive sifting the sand.

They eat the top layer of sand and poop out clean sand. They can cover a tank pretty quick too. Yeah they are kinda ugly but I think they are neat.

Kurt03 · 06/29/2006, 10:23 PM

what about a diamond goby or something ?

stang5_o2002 · 06/29/2006, 11:26 PM

I actually bought a diamond goby, but my 3 stripe damsel that i cant catch beat him half to death. The goby ended up in my other tank where he lasted a week and a half before carpet surfing...

But that is a good suggestion though. He really went through the sand quick.

waterfaller1 · 06/30/2006, 01:50 AM

You are making a mistake keeping a ss star and/or ss goby. They eat all the beneficial infauna that you need from your sandbed. You want something that shifts, not sifts the sand. Atlantic spotted cucumbers,nassarius snails, cerith snails, fighting conch{only 1 conch per 2 ' sq.}.

06/29/2006, 06:28 PM	#1
stang5_o2002 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southeastern Ohio Posts: 29	Suggestions Needed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ok, here goes. I've only been in this hobby for about 8 months, and i've learned a lot in that time. Im addicted, and now have 3 tanks. The only problem is, my first tank, a 46 gal bowfront. I started the tank before i discovered these boards, and made a lot of mistakes that arent easily corrected. The one that is turning out to be a problem is my sandbed. It always looks like crap. I have a sandsifting star, and about 75 nassaurius snails to keep the top stirred up, but it doesnt help. I think it may be because i used walmart play sand. The bag didnt say what it was made of, but it was white and looked good at first. I did the vinegar test and it did fizz a little, but not much. I keep getting cyano in one corner no matter how i adjust the flow. I have never had a problem with any other kind of algae. The rest of the sand usually looks kinda brownish with green and red speckles. I hate this because the rockwork is so pretty and clean looking. The other problem is that my rock is sitting directly on the bottom of the tank and the sand was added around the rock, which i have learned is not a good thing. All corals and other inhabitants are very healthy and seem to be thriving. The tank is almost 8 months old, and i have coraline starting to cover everything, which I like. So, my question is, is there anything I can do remedy my problems with out a complete teardown? I dont have anywhere to put all the tank inhabitants, and I dont want to do anything that is going to cause a crash. Should I change out the sandbed slowly? Or should I just add the right kind of sand on top of whats there? If I have to tear it all down, what can i do to make the change as stress free for everthing living in the tank? I could put it all in tubs, but if I do that, will I have to go through the long process of cylcling the tank again? For equipment, I have two 240 gph powerheads facing the front of the tank from the back corners about half way down. One facing slightly up, and one facing slightly down. I have a large HOB power filter that is kept very clean. For a skimmer i have a Sealcone 100. I know its junk, but for now thats all I have until I can afford a better one. I also have a 110gph powerhead near the surface in the rear of the tank facing straight up to keep the surface agitated. I have been doing weekly 15 gal waterchanges using distilled water (which adds up to a lot of $ after a while) for the last 3 weeks, and I did 10 gal bi weekly before that. Sooo, if anyone has any ideas lets hear em. I want my tank to look like the ones i see in pictures with a nice white clean sandbed.

06/29/2006, 07:41 PM	#2
crustin Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: ga. Posts: 470	sounds like a bio- load problems __________________ never give up Current Tank Info: 90g semi- reef

06/29/2006, 08:10 PM	#3
castor Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 545	get a black sea cucumber. They are a tiny bit toxic but they are very hard to kill. My cousins tank crashed and he just left it for a month and the cucumber was still alive sifting the sand. They eat the top layer of sand and poop out clean sand. They can cover a tank pretty quick too. Yeah they are kinda ugly but I think they are neat. __________________ If I knew where I was going I would already be there. BC Business lesson 101 - "I put these change machines everywhere and haven't made a dime!" Current Tank Info: just an experimental prop right now

06/29/2006, 10:23 PM	#4
Kurt03 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 3,602	what about a diamond goby or something ?

06/29/2006, 11:26 PM	#5
stang5_o2002 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southeastern Ohio Posts: 29	I actually bought a diamond goby, but my 3 stripe damsel that i cant catch beat him half to death. The goby ended up in my other tank where he lasted a week and a half before carpet surfing... But that is a good suggestion though. He really went through the sand quick.

06/30/2006, 01:50 AM	#6
waterfaller1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Florida Posts: 3,343	You are making a mistake keeping a ss star and/or ss goby. They eat all the beneficial infauna that you need from your sandbed. You want something that shifts, not sifts the sand. Atlantic spotted cucumbers,nassarius snails, cerith snails, fighting conch{only 1 conch per 2 ' sq.}.