Keeping sand clean

[snakeblitz33]

Any suggestions of some organisms that clean and filter sand? The top layer of my sandbed has a buildup of stuff on it and I'd like to get something that will do well in my tank with three damsels.

Suggestions?

 

[eric b 125]

Nassarius snails? In researching stuff to set up my BC29 it seems like the method of choice is weekly manual maintenance only bc the size of the tank is a limiting factor in what livestock we can use.

 

[lmforbis]

If you can find a sand sifting goby that will eat prepared food it would work. My diamond goby eats any food I feed the fish and keeps the sand clean looking.

 

[eric b 125]

If you can find a sand sifting goby that will eat prepared food it would work. My diamond goby eats any food I feed the fish and keeps the sand clean looking.

I was thinking that the damsels would torment any other fish that he puts in there...

 

[jay0705]

Would depend on its size. My sleeper headed goby does a great job and is good sized prob 6-7"

 

[2quills]

Small siphon pump, plastic fork at the end of the hose, gently rake the sand bed, stirs up the nasties so you can easily vacuum it out.

 

[lmforbis]

Hard to say with damsels. Sometimes they don't bother bottom dwellers.

 

[pegasus]

Nassarius Snails, Sand Sifting Starfish and Tiger Tail Cucumbers are all excellent sand sifting invertebrate...

 

[mandy111]

Sea Cucumber. Dirty sand in one end spotless clean sand our other end. Best investment ive made to keep my sand bed clean.

 

[snakeblitz33]

Thanks all. I got a serpent star and some bumblebee snails and hermits. It's looking much better.