Best Sand Cleaner?

[zenway9]

i am looking for an invert or something to burrow into my sand and clean the junk out of it. i know that clams are good for that, but there are none currently avaliable on this site. is there anything else that will do the trick?

 

[vtecbro007]

get a sand swifting goby cheap too under 20

 

[bang guy]

There is no better sand cleaner than the Cirratulid Worm IMO.

 

[gfk]

where do you get those?

 

[mudplayerx]

The detrivore sea cucumbers will keep your sand whiter than when you bought it. They are the earthworms of saltwater.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by gfk
where do you get those?
They usually come along when you buy real live sand.

 

[knots]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
They usually come along when you buy real live sand.
Is their a difference between live sand and real live sand?

 

[jonny bolt]

I had an Orange Spotted Goby, he was more of a "percher" than a sand sifter. Unfortunately he disappeared into thin air somehow. So I went out and bought same kind of Goby that my friend has had for almost a year now. I dont know what kind he is exactly lol, cuz I cant find a pic of him anywhere on the net. But the LFS called him a "Decorative Goby". Anyone ever heard of that? Anyway, he does an AWESOME job on my sand. I've only had him a few days now, my sand is so clean again. Cleaner than when I put it in the tank! lol. It's bright and vibrant!

 

[slammy16]

I have a Diamond Goby that is non-stop sifting sand through his gills and moving sand all over ... he does a real good job if you can tolerate him blowing sand up on your rock sometimes..

 

[jonny bolt]

Yeah, I think mine is a Diamond Goby. But mine has some dark spots on him too. But definitely knows how to work the sand ")

 

[1journeyman]

Be careful with gobies and live sand.
Gobies "sift" sand because they are eating the pods in the sand. I suspect they also eat the worms Bang was referring too.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by knots
Is their a difference between live sand and real live sand?
More letters.
The bagged wet sand they advertise as live sand is completely devoid of animals. Real live sand has a lot of worms, bugs, and tiny animals that take care of the sand bed.
And yes, sand sifting gobies will remove all of these infauna and you're back to a non-functioning sand bed.

 

[diadema]

although I agree Guy, that worms are the best. They are pretty stationary. And unless you have access to 2600 lbs of sand to cherry pick some worms out, you're unlikely to get enough of them to really keep a large area of sand clean..
In time, they'll multiply and do the job.
But for now, I suggest a few more actively motile inverts. The Fighting conch and the pacific nassarius. Both of which will "burrow" and stir the sand.