A couple of Questions

[xsizzlax]

Once I add my sand which will be a DSB I read a post where it says you won’t have to gravel clean the bottom of the tank no more. What critters do u need to avoid gravel cleaning? Also what fish can I get that will swift the sand once in awhile? Another thing is I have an emperor 400 if my goal is to maintain a reef do I need to remove the bio-wheels I heard they build nitrates. My last question is will one 175watt MH and two 48in fluo be enough light for a 75 gallon I would put the metal halide in the middle could I keep Xenia’s. (I would get 2 175 but money is very very tight right now.
Sorry for all the questions
Thank you for any input!!

 

[andymi]

I would say you would be alright with the 175 watts of halides right now as long as you put the xenia up near the top. This should last you until you get some more money to suppliment with VHO's or add more halides. With a DSB essentially all you would need is a cleanup crew from SWF (some brittle stars, hermits, etc) and they should do the job pretty good for you.
--Andy

 

[amphiprion]

To clean and stir the sand bed I would recommend Nassarius snails and Cerinth snails. They burrow in and out of the sand and keep it pretty clean. If you are going for a live sand bed (copepods and amphipods, bristle worms) you shouldn't get a sand sifting fish. These fish sift the sand for one purpose, to eat all the critters that keep the sand bed live. If this isn't a concern, than any of the goby fish in the family Valenciennea are great sand sifters:
Orangespotted Sleeper Goby -V. puellaris
Yellowheaded Sleeper Goby - V. strigata
There are others in the family, but these are the two most commonly available.
HTH
[ September 09, 2001: Message edited by: Amphiprion ]