Keeping Sand clean

[drew2005]

Any reccomendations on how to keep my sand looking white? I have blue leg hermits, nassarius snails, emerald crab, turbo/astrea snails, mexican turbo. The sand is just filled with crap. Doesnt look white anymore. Its green is some spots. Its black in some other spots. Its very unsightly and i cant look at it anymore. What should i do?

 

[mxer485]

I had the same problem and bought a sand sifting star and he went to town couple days laters it was pearly white!!!!!!!

 

[saltyguy]

Sounds like you have to many nutrients in water. It might just be water quality. Check phosphates and nitrates. Do you have to scrape green algae off your glass constanly?

 

[drew2005]

Originally Posted by SALTYGUY
Sounds like you have to many nutrients in water. It might just be water quality. Check phosphates and nitrates. Do you have to scrape green algae off your glass constanly?
No green algae on glass since i cut back on my lighting weeks ago. Phos is 0.03 and nitrate is 5. I use RO water. I feed every other day. Only thing that gets feed everyday is my yellow tang. Which is only a piece of seaweed.

 

[saltyguy]

Maybe try to experiment with your water flow and see if you can redirect flow or maybe add more flow.

 

[reefnut]

How big is the tank?? A fighting or queen conch both do a good job of cleaning the sand bed. In addition they will not bother the sand organism like a sand sifter star will!!

 

[murph]

Try a small brittle star or two. Cheep and easy sand stirs.

 

[sw-newbe]

How about a Diamond GOby? Mine sifts sand all day long. THey're great as long as you don't mind moving mounds of sand as they dig under the rocks. Mine now has his primary home, guest quarters and a summer house! He's living better than I do.

 

[jmick]

I think you need to increase/improve your water flow. The key with flow is to keep as much mater as possible suspended in the water column so your skimmer can pull it out. Your sand should not be full of crap…how many fish do you have in your tank? Sounds like you might be over stocked….

 

[drew2005]

Tank is a 46 gallon. Im actually do need to add a powerhead. I only have a spray bar and a mini-jet going right now. I have 2 percula clowns and a yellow tang. Couple soft corals. I was actually gonna get the diamond goby but i went with the tang instead. I dont have a cover for the top of the tank yet. The diamonds are jumpers. I may go with the brittle star. Not sure yet. Any ideas on a good powerhead to get some better flow near the sand bed. Money doesnt really matter when it comes to my tank.