live sand cleaning

[fishymom]

Help! I have had my tank running for a couple of years and have always had a higher nitrate problem. Not to the extreme but never at zero. I was talking to a kid at the LSF and he asked me what I had to sift the sand. I don't have anything so he told me at my water change to scoop the sand out and rinse it in the waste water. I couldn't believe how awful the water was and the nitrate stick turned instant bright pink and the water was DARK gray. Right now my water is cloudy. Is this going to hurt my fish? Now I have a higher nitrate reading in my tank. Is this something I should have been doing all along? Do I need to do this at every water change? What a job!!! Should I do this for the next couple of times and then what should I have in there to stir my sand? I have a 125 gal and right now I have a yellow tang-a porc puffer-a clown and a cb shrimp. I try to do a 12gal water change twice a month. Am I doing that right?

 

[kroch3rd]

im no expert but many people have told me not to clean the sand. there are beneficial creatures on it, and my taking a whole chunk out it kills the top layer of benefical things. if you get a sand sifting fish or invert than you don't need to worry about cleaning the sand.

 

[lion_crazz]

If you have live sand, I would not suggest you disturb it like that. Live sand is supposed to remain undisturbed by you. Bristleworms, nassaurius snails, hermit crabs, and other detrivores are supposed to clean and sift it for you.
How deep is the sand bed?

 

[fishymom]

My sand is about 2 ins deep. The water is still cloudy but the nitrate reading is lower than it has been in a long time. What kind of sand shifting creatures can I put in with the puffer? Also does anyone use the cleaner clams they sell here? Do they help with the nitrates and how many would I need for a 125 gal?

 

[lion_crazz]

You may have a problem keeping much sand sifters with a puffer. Is there any reason you have live sand in the tank at all?

 

[fishymom]

I don't know what you mean about having the live sand? This is the sand that I have had in the tank for over two years now. Doesn't the sand just become live sand after that long of a time?

 

[fishymom]

Should I get a couple of horseshoe crabs to stir the sand? They look like they are a pretty good size. Will the puffer still bother them? I did a big no-no in getting the puffer. He had such a pretty face that I impulse bought. Now I don't know what I can put in with him. The compatibility chart shows that he can be put with a lot of other fish as long as they are larger than him. Is this right?

 

[adesimone1]

Try getting a large goby he hides under your LR and sifts sand like crazy

 

[lion_crazz]

Puffers are compatible with a bunch of things, just not inverts.
I would very strongly recommend against the horse shoe crabs. They get ridiculously big, but furthermore, the puffer will rip them apart.
The sand is a problem in the tank with the puffer, since you usually do not want to disturb sand too much yourself.
The crabs are one of the many animals onthis list of mine of animals to avoid.

 

[fishymom]

Thank you for the list. One more ? Can I put star fish in with my puffer or will he become a treat?