Good Sand Cleaners
- Thread starter drew2005
- Start date
airforceb2
Active Member
Regular water changes, a protein skimmer and good water flow in a tank should rid the tank of most contaminates given you have a big enough clean up crew. Sand Sifting Stars could be an option...although I'm pretty sure you need a DSB with fine sand to keep them.
airforceb2
Active Member
Sea cucumbers are toxic to what? They also require a DSB as well.
airforceb2
Active Member
If anything dies in your tank, it will release toxins. Many people here have cucumbers.
mudplayerx
Active Member
Please guys, don't repeat the sea cucumber myth. Yes, they are toxic, but the ones you utilize as sand bed cleaners are no more toxic than a dead coral. It is the filter feeding sea cucumbers that are highly toxic and prone to evicerate if threatened.
I personally have an 8 inch detrivore sea cucumber in my tank and my sand is sparkling white. As to the rumor that they are like some toxic little time bombs... I have hermit crabs crawling all over him.... I've had an anemone attach to him... I've even pried him off of a rock before by hand (very dumb move) and he never once evicerated.
Remember, brightly-colored and filter feeding tentacles = bad cucumber
drab-colored with no filter feeding tentacles = detrivore (good) cucumber
Don't give these guys a bad rap. They are awsome lil critters with tremendous cleaning abilities and a very peaceful, nontoxic nature
ps- I have a 3 inch sandbed and the cuke is healthy as a horse.
I personally have an 8 inch detrivore sea cucumber in my tank and my sand is sparkling white. As to the rumor that they are like some toxic little time bombs... I have hermit crabs crawling all over him.... I've had an anemone attach to him... I've even pried him off of a rock before by hand (very dumb move) and he never once evicerated.
Remember, brightly-colored and filter feeding tentacles = bad cucumber
drab-colored with no filter feeding tentacles = detrivore (good) cucumber
Don't give these guys a bad rap. They are awsome lil critters with tremendous cleaning abilities and a very peaceful, nontoxic nature
ps- I have a 3 inch sandbed and the cuke is healthy as a horse.
celacanthr
Active Member
aren't the sand sifting crabs good for that or are they bab for that kinda job?
ouchthathu
Member
Originally Posted by jr1053
Is it possible to use one of those gravel cleaners with sand during regular water changes without siphoning out all of one's substrate??
It is possible, I siphoned my sand on every water change and I have oolitic sand bed. You'll pic up a little sand but the majority stays on the bottom. The problem is that you may also siphon small critters that live IN the sand bed. I had the same problem with my sand bed, added a cucember last week and its amazing what it's done in just a few days time... cucumbers are the way to go.
Is it possible to use one of those gravel cleaners with sand during regular water changes without siphoning out all of one's substrate??
It is possible, I siphoned my sand on every water change and I have oolitic sand bed. You'll pic up a little sand but the majority stays on the bottom. The problem is that you may also siphon small critters that live IN the sand bed. I had the same problem with my sand bed, added a cucember last week and its amazing what it's done in just a few days time... cucumbers are the way to go.
Originally Posted by jr1053
Is it possible to use one of those gravel cleaners with sand during regular water changes without siphoning out all of one's substrate??
Sorry, definately don't use this. Your sandbed needs to be left alone except for movement by appropriate sand critters.
And, IMHO, a sand dwelling goby is harmful to the sandbed, as are sand sifting stars, and some wrasses that bury themselves in sand.
The nassarius that you have are excellent for sandbeds. However, the hermits may prey on snails. If you can find another home for these, you may want to consider that.
Is it possible to use one of those gravel cleaners with sand during regular water changes without siphoning out all of one's substrate??
Sorry, definately don't use this. Your sandbed needs to be left alone except for movement by appropriate sand critters.
And, IMHO, a sand dwelling goby is harmful to the sandbed, as are sand sifting stars, and some wrasses that bury themselves in sand.
The nassarius that you have are excellent for sandbeds. However, the hermits may prey on snails. If you can find another home for these, you may want to consider that.
f1shman
Active Member
Any advice on what tank cleaners to get for a 75 gallon tank that has a lionfish, 2 triggers, yellow tang, and queen angel. (please don't tell me that too many fish for a 75 gallon, I know they are all going to outgrow it soon, but im prepared for that) Any thing I put in there something eats. Crabs, snails - triggers eat. Starfish - angel picks at.
mudplayerx
Active Member
Yes, go to the invert section of this website and compare the yellow cucumer and the black cucumber. The black cucumber is the detrivore type that will clean your sandbed.