keeping sand clean in agressive

civickid

civickid

Member
what is he best way to keep the sand clean when you cant keep crabs or snails. How do you all do it .
 
civickid

civickid

Member
yea but you cant keep rays with triggers or wrasses cause they will nip at them. Are there any crabs or snails that will work and not be eaton
 
squidd

squidd

Active Member
This is what I do....
High Flow. Random Current , Flow switching...Keeps detrius suspnded until it hits sump where I have a dedicated low flow "settling area" where it gets siphoned out occasionlly..
Killer Skimmer for DOCs..
RO/DI watr exclusively..no diatoms or cyno <<<ties in with high flow/good oxygen exchange<<<
SSB...not "particularly Live" so I can "Bubble Vac" larger uneaten pieces...also occasionally...
UV filter...Phosphate reactor...Large fuge with Macros for Malnutrient export...
This is my sand bed...I toss in a half a pound of Meat a week into this tank...
 
squidd

squidd

Active Member
This is a "Bubble Vac"...
Will suck "semi floating" pieces up and not disturb sand like a siphon will...
 
moraym

moraym

Active Member
nice, i think i need to pick up one of those bubble vacs. my substrate is just too fine to use a siphon on it.
 
tapeworm

tapeworm

Member
Hey Squidd,
Thanks for the info!
Can I ask what kind of UV you are running on your 210? I am setting up the exact same thing. I am debating between the turbo-twist (36W) or the Aqua (57W).
 
fishy411

fishy411

Member
i dont know if this applies but when i asked this question about my fw tank i was told to swirl the siphon around about 1" above the sand and that this will pick up the debris and such.
 
squidd

squidd

Active Member

Originally posted by TapeWorm
Hey Squidd,
Thanks for the info!
Can I ask what kind of UV you are running on your 210? I am setting up the exact same thing. I am debating between the turbo-twist (36W) or the Aqua (57W).
Right now I'm running a 9 and 18 watt "Double Helix" in parrallel...
As the bulbs are getting old and they don't make them anymore, I'll probably "replumb" with a 40 watt Aqua ...
I haven't seen a 57 watt...??
 
tony detroit

tony detroit

Active Member
I think the 57W may be for pond applications, I have seen it somewhere...You might want to look into a unit with a wiper on it. You'd probably have an easier time finding replacement parts if you went with the 40 or the 80.
 
tapeworm

tapeworm

Member
Thanks guys, I saw the 57W on the Depot website.
I am now running an Iwaki MD70, 2400 GPH, so I have some unused flow. I think I will plumb a 40W or a 57W to back flow into the sump.
Is anyone using the overflow holes for 4 drains and using 4 over the tank returns? I have a lot of flow to spend:)
 
civickid

civickid

Member
so there are no inverts that will help keep the sand clean without being eaton for dinner. maybe a couple larger hermits.
 
selarman

selarman

Member
I have a chocolate chip star fish and a sand sifting star in with my pork puffer and goldtail moray and they do a good job cleaning the sand. :happy:
 
civickid

civickid

Member
what kind of lighting do you have. I have 440 watts of vho and there is green algae all over on the sand. I also have a choco chip and a sand sifter star in a 90 and it doesnt look like they are cleaning it at all.
 
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