how do you guys keep your sand so clean?

[hotrodolds]

ive seen some of these tanks that have immaculate sand beds. Just wondering how to keep it clean. Mine isnt to bad just this light brown/tan fine film here and there. It doesnt look like cyno but ive got it and fish poop piling up in some spots. Its the same algae that is growing on the glass.

None of these hermits or snails i have seem to want to do anything with the stuff on the sand, yet they are all over the glass and rocks. Ive got a fighting conch but he just stays buried in one spot. Every few days ill pull him out of his hiding spot and he'll go around the tank eating stuff for a few hour. Then he just buries himself and stays there indefinitely, not appearing to eat and definitely not moving.

[chimmike]

clean up crew.............powerheads........
a single fighting conch isn't gonna help a lot

[hotrodolds]

what kind of clean up clean up because these astreas and hermits seem to have much better things to do.

[chimmike]

how many astreas? how many hermits? Do you have any nassarius snails? Leave the conch alone, he's doing his thing.

What's your water source? TDS readings? Feeding? What powerheads/flow do you have?

[hotrodolds]

7 astreas now i think, one seems to be dead. I cant seem to keep them alive consistently. Ill buy some but only about 50% make it more than a week or two. Some other type of snail i dont know, and two ceriths. I cant seem to find any nassarius locally. 4 hermits blue legged hermits in varying sizes. The hermits and the conch have been fine, only have issue with small snails staying alive.

Water source is RODI from the lfs, and on occasion Ill use RO water from walmart if im out for some reason. Have no TDS meter. PH is at 8.3, nitrates 5-10.

Feeding is 1/5-1/4 of frozen cube of plankton. The blenny and clown both seem to get it all before it settles. Both look pretty well fed.

Flow is lacking for the moment, been piecing this whole thing together and will be picking up two Koralis soon. Just blew 150 on lights monday. For now flow is just a HOB filter rated at 330gph

[Toddrtrex]

I would think about getting your own TDS meter, and then testing the water that you get from your LFS. I used to get mine from an LFS (( many years ago )), I bought an TDS meter, after testing my LFS' water I ordered my own RO/DI unit.

Anyways, I keep my sandbed clean by having some Nass snails in there, and by "gravel vacuuming" it with each weekly water change. Since it is a shallow sandbed (( 2-3 inches )), no harm is caused by doing that.

[Lyfey]

I think you just answered all of your own questions
just my .02c

[Untamed12]

My sandbed never gets spotlessly clean, but if not for the multiple large sea cucumbers and the pair of orange spotted sleeper gobies my sand would become disgusting within days. As is, it tends to look pretty good with small patches that haven't been tossed in a few days.

Hermits and snails have relatively no impact at all in my system.

[hotrodolds]

Im really trying to figure out if i want to put in a goby or a jawfish in the tank right now. I'd love to do both but ive only got room for 3 more fish and two of those slots are already filled by a 2nd clown and a wrasse.

Do jawfish sandsift? What are the best sandsifting gobies out there?

[newguy1983]

I have a goby..a yellow watchman, but the dang guy is always hidden in the rocks...and never does anything to the sand...

Can't wait to move next week so it will give me a good reason to redo the rockwork w/o hurting any of the critters inside of it...

[Mr. Brooks]

Add flow.

[Bruce Wayne]

i like sand sifting starfish cuz they bring up the new white sand and make it look nice

[Bruce Wayne]

ps try a bunch of small ones cuz if the sstarfish is too big he wont creep into places that a smaller one could

[heap]

Originally posted by hotrodolds


Do jawfish sandsift? What are the best sandsifting gobies out there?

only experience i have is w/ a pearly jawfish. it moved sand around to make its burrow, but beyond that wasn't too concerned with sand sifting.

[hotrodolds]

Originally posted by thechad21
Add flow.

Should i run a pair of korali nanos or a pair of K1s?

[elegance coral]

I vacuum mine with a gravel vac during water changes and use these between vacuuming. If you ever get down to Savanna you could pick them up for just a couple of bucks per dozen at most bait and tackle shops. My sand is always very clean.

and peeking out of the sand.

[MerDoX]

Your best option would add flow to the tank.

Also, it looks like your tank is new (3 months old) and it's going through its cycles. Alot of times, they will eventually goes away when your tank is mature. Your nitrate is what feeding the algae so try to lower it by...
1. minimize nitrogen input - less feedings or rinse frozen foods
2. maximize removal - WC more often, macro algae like cheatos or mangroves, nitrate binding media, phosphate binding (phosban)
3. less light - shorter photo period

Adding more livestocks (fishes, clean up crew) won't help lower your nitrates and phosphates. Just my 2 cents.

[newguy1983]

What the heck is that thing?

[walkthedog]

I agree with the more flow. More flow will keep waste in the water and off the sand. Then the filter sock and skimmer can do their job.

[elegance coral]

Originally posted by newguy1983
What the heck is that thing?

If you eat shrimp, you've seen them many times. That's what your beer battered shrimp looked like before someone killed and cooked them.

[hotrodolds]

Originally posted by newguy1983
What the heck is that thing?

That thing is great mackeral bait Florida hopper or a White shrimp not sure exactly which that is. Just your normal table shrimp really. I had no idea they had any interests in burrowing into the sand though.

Im from just north of jacksonville, on the ga line. Im down that way quite a bit when not in school. I might just pick a few up and give them a shot next time im down there.

We put those suckers to use in the keys over spring break.

[newguy1983]

How big is it? (I knew it was a shrimp, but what kind)? Do they live in your tank the whole time or do you just get rid of it when you don't need them?

Sorry for the questions and thread hi-jack, but I am fascinated...

[luvreefs23]

buy black sand. lol

[kaylo]

I got a diamond watchman gobie and he pretty much turns my whole sand bed for me. It's pretty amazing the area he can cover.

The first one I got committed suicide by jumping out of the tank, but #2 seems to love it. I watched at my LFS for the most active one I could find and he went to town as soon as he dug his hole for a home.

[hmello@bermexin]

Nassarius, Cerith and fighting conch work for me.