Clean sand bed?

fishyclown · Feb 16, 2002

Hiya!
I'm just thinking about something I'll have to worry about in the future after my 70 gal. tank is set up and inhabited. I'm putting in a DSB and plan on adding some LS to it. The problem I'm faced with is... To clean, or not to clean?
I used to siphon the inch and a half of CC I used to have to get out all of the detritus material, and a few bristle worms, but once I get the sand in there... if I vacuum, it will flow out with the water. So do I just rely on clean up crew members and the stuff in the LS to clean the substrate at this point? OR is there a way to clean up the sand surface without siphoning out the good stuff?
Confucious is confused, say Grasshoppa...
Shelly <chuckle, chuckle> <img src="graemlins//urrr.gif" border="0" alt="[urrr]" />

fishyclown · Feb 17, 2002

Awesome! Glad to hear that. I've been reading up on sand-sifting creatures as well and I'm not convinced that I'm not going to have any problems keeping the sand clean looking as long as I have a few sifting fish in there. I was planning on getting a blenny and a dragonette anyway and as it turns out, they love that job. Some of the gobbies do as well. So, I'm sure I'll be fine. Thanks for the reply.

Shell

fishyclown · Feb 17, 2002

Uh... I meant to say that I AM convinced that I'll be just fine...
heh, heh, heh... who needs to edit messages?
Shelly

puff(er) daddy · Feb 17, 2002

I actually just got finish vacuming my dsb. The other post are right about the critters doing the job of the vacum. I needed it because I had a red algae bloom on top of my sand. I also have a aggressive fish so it's next to impossible for me to buy a clean up crew. If you find the need to use your "cc" vacum, here's how I was taught: Once you get the siphon going put your free hands index finger on the end of the siphon that the dirty water comes out of to control the water flow manually. If you have a dsb stick the vacum about a inch deep and then release your index finger and let the water flow. Keep your eyes on the vacum tube cause you'll see the sand start to rise up, once it gets close to the top of the vacum stop the water flow once again with your index finger and let the sand fall back down.
Like I said I just did it and it worked great.

fishyclown · Feb 17, 2002

Thanks for the insight... I wasn't even thinking about what would happen if I did get a bloom of some sort. I was being optomistic of course... But I can visualize what you're talking about. The water will come up through the tube faster than the sand and I would be able to let it settle back down and let it out of the tube. Now I feel I'm ready to conquer the DSB! hee hee hee
Thanks! Shell

jacrmill · Feb 17, 2002

I vacuum my sand bed about once a month. I have never had a problem with it. For some reason it doesnt suck up any sand at all. I dont have to hold my finger over it or anything, maybe i just got some heavier LS or something. The sand flows up and circulates in the tube a little bit, just never flows out of the tube.

fshhub · Feb 17, 2002

teh worst hting you could do is vaccuum the sand in a dsb, you do not want anything to disturb it, you need the lower layers(all but he top 1'4 inch or so) to remain undisturbes, that is where the anaerobid bacteria lives(which takes care of the garbage, otherwise, why have a dsb, and i know what everyone is going through, worried about not doing it, i was, like i was worried about no filters, but guess what, i switched, and wll not switch back
vaccuuming also can remove the the pods and other critters
and if you have a cyano prob, instead of disturbing the sand, we just used a turkey baster to remove the little crust(suck it up,and remove) and it never disturbed the bed, i love the fact of having a tank that all i do other than food, is a weekly 5+% water cahnge, and clean the glass(outside)

lu · Feb 17, 2002

If you think in terms of your tank being totally self sufficient like the ocean, you shouldn't have to clean it. God doesn't go around vacuuming HIS substrate...LOL All you should have to do is keep up on water changes, feed your fish and clean the outside of the tank so you have a better view...enjoy!

puff(er) daddy · Feb 18, 2002

You guys are right. I posted yesterday and today I see no signs of life in my sand bed. A little bit, but not much. So I apologize for the previous post. Vacuming does work but if you have dsb I don't recommend you do it, if so not often.

fishymissy · Feb 18, 2002

I doubt you sucked up that much life from the sandbed Puff(er)daddy, I think you would have seen them going up the tube because it sounds like you were watching it (the tube) closely. Could you have seen a concentration of them because of the cyano (red slime) and they've dispersed because it's gone now?
I know when I used to have cc, I would gravel vac deeply, and I was always having to stop to let the bristleworms, brittlestars, small snails etc. out!
I sincerely hope that this is the case......and if it's not, if this vacuuming depleted the sandbed, then I apologize for suggesting that you vacuum in the first place!

diatom · Feb 18, 2002

Fishy~
Sand sifting creatures like sand sifting stars do not belong in a deep sand bed as they are sifting for the critters that populate it. Unless you have a very large tank they will decimate your sand bed in short order.

scubanole · Feb 18, 2002

diatom,
What do I need to put in my tank for a DSB to work and what do I use in the clean up crew, crabs, snails, which kind. Also what do I need to use to seed my DSB? Others besides Diatom please answer also. Thanks.

fshhub · Feb 18, 2002

scubanole,
is it a new or existing tank?? and what is currently in the tank for substrate and how much

scubanole · Feb 18, 2002

the tank is 2 months old. it has a 4-6 inch DSB put in on Feb. 2. it has 2 blue hermits and 12 turbo's and a coral banded shrimp thanks

ravenhawk · Feb 19, 2002

I am in the process of setting up a 55g long tank and have decided to use an aragonite substrate rather than cc. My 20g has cc and I hate having to vacuum all the time not to mention I previously had several blue legged crabs and couldnt tell them from the cc until they moved. I have to admit I lost more than one in the vacuum. I am looking forward to an easier sandier bottom.

fshhub · Feb 19, 2002

ok, as far as your dsb working, it will work by itelf, you have plenty of sand in there for your nitrogen cycle, you need good circulation
and as far as keeeping the surface clean goes, a detrivore kit, would help, some small micro stars and mini brittle stars(they are a species, not just small brittle stars), some conchs will help, nassarius snails and maybe some bumble bee snails will help keep the sand itself clean and bristle worms, but turbos and trochus will not do much in the sand, they prefer the glass and rock
hermits and other crabs would probably help too(some)
HTH

scubanole · Feb 19, 2002

thanks fshhub. That is what I have been wanting to know.

puff(er) daddy · Feb 19, 2002

fishymissy, no need to apologizd it was and still is a great idea. Even though I lost some life there is still some in there. Every three to six months I think I would do it again. I just wouldn't recommend it to be done frequently.

scubanole · Feb 19, 2002

fshhub, one more ??? how many of the mini brittle stars, micro stars, conchs, nassarius snails and bumble bee snails would be a good number for a 55 gallon tank. Thanks.

iswimwithmyfish · Feb 19, 2002

i have a sand sifting starfish and is doing a beautiful job keeping my sand bed clean

Clean sand bed?

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