how do people clean there sand bed?

[dcforester1]

I was just cleaning my sandbed, because my Nitrates are at 50. and I am trying to get them down. I was using a turkey baster, and stirring it up, but everything was pissed. Stuff is slimming, and it is a total blackout. Do you only do a little at a time? Or can you use a python and vacuum it out. I need to do something. It is like fine black dust. I am guessing that is my problem. I have a couple tiger tails, and about a dozen Nassarius snails. Can I add something else, or is this the way it is suppose to be?
TIA derek

 

[Behrmon]

How about a couple fighting conch??

 

[JayM]

nitrates at 50 with corals = you need a 50% (at least) water change.

 

[SharkLover]

I don't touch my sandbed. Nassarius snails turn it over for me, and I do have a fighting conch. The only big is that I dont have a sump so there is some green algae showing in the deeper portions of the bed through the glass. It really doesn't affect the color of the top of the bed. I don't have a skimmer, or a fuge and my stuff does great. I always always always do 15% water change once a week, no exceptions since I dont have a skimmer. its a 58. To be honest, I've had less problems with no skimmer than with. With my skimmer I was lazy and did less water changes, without it i'm more diligent, my cyano is gone and so is my dino problem.

 

[Blueflu1]

I was wondering this too. I have a 90 and about 4-6 Nassarius snails. I want my sandbed stirred up more. (Not stirred up like a goby though). Fighting conchs are good? How many for a 90?

Not hijacking here.

 

[Behrmon]

Fighting conchs are good? How many for a 90?

Not hijacking here.

IME they are great for turning the sand, I would say 1 or 2 for a 90.

 

[dcforester1]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was wondering this too. I have a 90 and about 4-6 Nassarius snails. I want my sandbed stirred up more. (Not stirred up like a goby though). Fighting conchs are good? How many for a 90?

Not hijacking here.

Not Hijaking if adding to the conversation


nitrates at 50 with corals = you need a 50% (at least) water change.

I know, I was using an API test kits, and getting bad results. Imagine that!
I have done three 20gal water changes since Sunday. I am going to do another 30gal on Fri.
I am glad I got a box of salt. Nothing better than using for 24hrs, and then dumping it. Is it better to do 40gal at once, or 2 20gal over two days?

When I stirred up the sand it was like a dark gray powder under the sand, does anyone use a Python to clean it out?

Thanks to all that replied Derek

 

[SharkLover]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was wondering this too. I have a 90 and about 4-6 Nassarius snails. I want my sandbed stirred up more. (Not stirred up like a goby though). Fighting conchs are good? How many for a 90?

Not hijacking here.

Not Hijaking if adding to the conversation


nitrates at 50 with corals = you need a 50% (at least) water change.

I know, I was using an API test kits, and getting bad results. Imagine that!
I have done three 20gal water changes since Sunday. I am going to do another 30gal on Fri.
I am glad I got a box of salt. Nothing better than using for 24hrs, and then dumping it. Is it better to do 40gal at once, or 2 20gal over two days?

When I stirred up the sand it was like a dark gray powder under the sand, does anyone use a Python to clean it out?

Thanks to all that replied Derek

What exactly makes you want to clean your sand bed? disturbing too much of the bed can't be good in the long run. say.. more than an inch or two into the bed.

 

[JayM]

Derek:

If you do the math, when fighting a nitrate problem (short term), a single larger water change is going to give you bang for your buck.

you kinda need to find out why they're at 50 to start with.....

 

[snowmaker]

That "dark gray powder" is detritus and can't be good. IMO, no amount of sandsifters and detritavors will take care of it.
About every 3 or 4 water changes, I vacuum / clean substrate. Some might say, "but you're pulling out all of the beneficial stuff". I have to disagree... Everything in my tank looks MUCH better since vacuuming all that crap out of there.
In 1 system, the first time I did it, 10 gal. worth of vacuuming produced a full 16 oz. of detritus... I just use an aquarium gravel vacuum andf pinch the hose to control flow.

 

[jbishop]

I never touch my sand and I dont have any sand sifters.

 

[pillowfish]

I am one of those that believes in leaving the sandbed alone, meaning I don't vacuum it or manually stir it up when I clean the tank. I have done a little bit here and there throughout the years, but nothing regular and nothing large at all. As Kevin said conchs are great, I also personally love my sand sifting starfish and a whole lotta nassarius snails. I know tiger tails are great sand bed cleaners as well, only problem is when they die they release a ton of toxins in the water.

If you stirred up the sandbed pior to testing, that is where your nitrates are coming from. If not, then you need to find the source of the problem, stirring up the sandbed to clean it is only going to compound the problem, IMO.

 

[Jeff.:P]

I am one of those that believes in leaving the sandbed alone, meaning I don't vacuum it or manually stir it up when I clean the tank. I have done a little bit here and there throughout the years, but nothing regular and nothing large at all. As Kevin said conchs are great, I also personally love my sand sifting starfish and a whole lotta nassarius snails. I know tiger tails are great sand bed cleaners as well, only problem is when they die they release a ton of toxins in the water.

If you stirred up the sandbed pior to testing, that is where your nitrates are coming from. If not, then you need to find the source of the problem, stirring up the sandbed to clean it is only going to compound the problem, IMO.

+1... haven't touched my sandbed since I've put it in 9 months ago. never had any registered nitrates. a diamond goby cleans the surface.

 

[susyq458]

+1 on the no touchy the sand bed.

We have Sea cucumbers in all the tanks and +10 nassarius snails in each. If you are seeing alot of "stuff" settling on the sand, it sounds more like a water flow problem causing your water quality problem.

Given all the moving around you've already done, I suggest leaving the tank alone for a couple of days to let your fish and corals rest from the crap getting kicked up in the water.

Retest your water making 100% sure your testing supplies are free of residue from previous tests. Do one more generous water change if absolutely necessary right away.

Observe and adjust the water flow with more pumps or re-angling your pumps so that you have adequate flow around your rock and corals. You should see generous water movement without kicking up sand.

Then... leave it alone another couple of days..... and retest the water regularly (once a week).

Just my 2 cents of course.

 

[joefish]

rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[jackthestrat]

Just cover your sandbed with frags. Problem solved.