DT DSB

drewsbrews

Member
Ok so I've got about 4.5" sandbed in my display tank. Fine grain stuff (sugar size?) compared to what I normally see in tanks. I'm starting to have my doubts about it from what I'm reading about DSBs holding bad stuff. Would reducing the depth negate possible issues in the long run? I know it would negate possible gains too though.
The tank is only maybe 6 weeks old so I doubt disturbing it now would cause too much issue.
 

geoj

Active Member
So far I have not had any of my sand beds crash on me the reason is I remove the waste and I prove to my self that it has been removed. This is the hard part when you go with the DSB method checking how much waste has built up in the sand puts the fish in the tank at risk. Just resonantly we are getting new bacteria additives that claim to clean out the waste, as of this time it is new but it looks promising so I would start to educate my self on the different products and how to use them.
If you do choose to not disturbed the sand then some spaghetti worms and Ceriths will help. You don't need all that sand you could cut it back to 1-2 inches and it still would be a DSB. You can also take the tank down and clean it once every two years. My local does it with there show tanks.
 

geoj

Active Member
When I do a water change I siphon the sand I do it often enough that I see a small amount of waste come out with the water and I don't smell any eggs (hydrogen sulfide). I can't get under the rocks so I leave it and let the snails get in there. I tend to brake the tank down because I have always need to move it, always before three years which is as long as I feel comfortable letting a sandbed go. I think that this is going to change as probiotics prove themselves.
 

meowzer

Moderator
Thanks GEO.....I have one of the siphon things that you hook up to your sink.....will something like that work.
I have never done mine....and it is a 4" bed....2 1/2 years old....BUT I have lots of CUC....
 

geoj

Active Member
I would not change now, but if you had a reason to take it down or just felt it was time, then I would cleaning the sand, I always remove every one from the tank when I do a big clean like you would be doing. This gives you a chance to see how much has built up under there and how well you have been doing.
 

drewsbrews

Member
The waste layer seems to go down 1/4 to 1/2" in the sand since all my dwarf hermits and snails are constantly crawling around it and mixing it up. To siphon it out entails removing some of that top sand layer... since it's fine grain that's pretty inevitable. In an year I may be less an inch of sandbed.
I've got a little conch that seems to make it his life's work skimming the very top 1/8" for the light hint of what I'm guessing is cyano that very slowly tints the sand. I also have a "Fancy" 1.5" nassarius, which I have read may be a babylonia. He is awsome for stirring up the sand. When it moves it bull dosers the top 1/4", will dig himself 2" down into the sand and rarely goes up on the rock. My only concern is if it is indeed a babylonia, those may go after clams... I eventually want to get a tridacna of one form or another.
The sand depth looks pleasingly proportional in my 65 since it's so tall. But I also like the look of larger grit sand too.
as a side note, some of my rocks go down to the bottom glass to anchor it all
 

beth

Administrator
Staff member
Actually DSBs should be disturbed as little as possible by humans, and that includes no siphoning. Movement in the sandbed should occur by the cultivation of creatures in the sand bed that will naturally and slowly move through the bed, not the hobbyists. This would including sand loving snails, all manner of worms, etc. The sandbed needs to be cultivated, introducing as much diversification as possible, and few or no predatory animals in the tank that would prey on sandbed critters or disrupt the sandbed over much.
To me, the DSB, and its cultivation can be just as much fun as many of the other things that you may want to do in a fish tank. The best setting for a DSB is a reef tank.
My feeling is that DSBs that fail is usually as a result of no taking care of the sandbed ecosystem. It does take effort and knowledge of how this ecosystem works. Its not just there for decoration. It is a wonderful filter. I had my reef tank set up for 3 years, and had zero ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates from the first day. Never had a cycle, a spike, a problem.
 

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Beth http:///forum/thread/382649/dt-dsb#post_3341501
Actually DSBs should be disturbed as little as possible by humans, and that includes no siphoning. Movement in the sandbed should occur by the cultivation of creatures in the sand bed that will naturally and slowly move through the bed, not the hobbyists. This would including sand loving snails, all manner of worms, etc. The sandbed needs to be cultivated, introducing as much diversification as possible, and few or no predatory animals in the tank that would prey on sandbed critters or disrupt the sandbed over much.
To me, the DSB, and its cultivation can be just as much fun as many of the other things that you may want to do in a fish tank. The best setting for a DSB is a reef tank.
My feeling is that DSBs that fail is usually as a result of no taking care of the sandbed ecosystem. It does take effort and knowledge of how this ecosystem works. Its not just there for decoration. It is a wonderful filter. I had my reef tank set up for 3 years, and had zero ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates from the first day. Never had a cycle, a spike, a problem.

Well GeoJ may know but I don't, and I would like to. How do you care for the sand so you have no problems?
 

drewsbrews

Member
Ok so in that case getting rid of the large digging snail would be on the list anyway I suppose?
I like the idea of getting some more critters in there for diversity. But it's difficult to find. If SWF sold spaghetti and bristle worms I'd be all over it.
I'm in an appartment right now so I will likely move before the 3 year mark. Disturbing the bed at least a bit will happen just from transport.
I guess I'm just trying to find out what it will take for me to keep it, and if it is even realistic for me to keep it given my situation and aspirations for the tank. I'd like to keep my options open for Fish, inverts, and corals.
 

spanko

Active Member
If you have live rock in that tank it will contain some of the fauna that will migrate to the sandbed. Best option here if you want to keep the DSB would be to add an additiona minimu of 1/2". You are kinda half pregnant here with 4.5". Then you need to up the critters. Some more nassarius, some cerith's. Stop siphoning the sand and figure out a good feeding schedule that does not allow the detritus to accumulate. You can also find places on the net that will sell things like bristle worms, mini brittle stars, etc. Also get another one or two Florida fighting conchs.
If not start to siphon out the sand down to 1 or 2" and still maintain a good amount of the critters listed above.
JMO
 
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