vt4lifecuf
Member
how do i maintenance live sand? do i use the gravel to suck up the sand with fish poops and debris? live sand bacteria rebuild itself?
thanks
thanks
Live sand maintenance
- Thread starter vt4lifecuf
- Start date
fishtk75
Member
Originally Posted by vt4lifecuf
how do i maintenance live sand? do i use the gravel to suck up the sand with fish poops and debris? live sand bacteria rebuild itself?
thanks
No maintenance as to live sand then fish debris.
As you said the answer the bacteria grow in the sand all the time cycles eating and growing to cut down ammonia ,nitrites, and nitrates.
Some do not clean the sand and let it go.
I have it 2 -3 inches and clean once a month gravel sucker.
Only do not over do it and be too clean need to keep the bacteria numbers up. If you have someone that has a tank that give you some to start your tank that will help. here is a link to bag to buy.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=7
how do i maintenance live sand? do i use the gravel to suck up the sand with fish poops and debris? live sand bacteria rebuild itself?
thanks
No maintenance as to live sand then fish debris.
As you said the answer the bacteria grow in the sand all the time cycles eating and growing to cut down ammonia ,nitrites, and nitrates.
Some do not clean the sand and let it go.
I have it 2 -3 inches and clean once a month gravel sucker.
Only do not over do it and be too clean need to keep the bacteria numbers up. If you have someone that has a tank that give you some to start your tank that will help. here is a link to bag to buy.
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=7
reefkprz
Active Member
Gravel siphoning sand will NOT remove all the bacteria from it. this is a myth. you could pressure wash your sand and not get all the biofilm off it. gravel siphoning sand sucks all the benificial micro critters out of it, destroying the effectivness of your sand bed. if you have a DSB your destroying the anaerobic qualities when you gravel siphon it.
vt4lifecuf
Member
ekkk i change my water and i use the gravel to suck up all the sand..would the micro critter reborn itself?
d0 thy d3w
Member
it will..but not overnight..not worth doing..gte sum more powerheads to prevent deadspots..this keeps all the fish poop, and excess fish food suspended so that ur skimmer can remove it..also add sum snailsn, and herit crabs, and maybe a shrimp or two...these guys do the job like pros...theyve had millions of years of evolution to keep the sand beds of the oceans, so theyll do a great job in ur tank!
vt4lifecuf
Member
thanks for the advices, i wont suck up the sand from now on maybe sometime to clean the fish poop..thanks alot i had really deep sand bed though
helpme74
Member
get a Diamond Goby it will keep your sand clean
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
vt4lifecuf
Member
Originally Posted by helpme74
get a Diamond Goby it will keep your sand clean
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
i did but that thing jump out ekk
get a Diamond Goby it will keep your sand clean
https://www.saltwaterfish.com/site_11...ot_parent_id=4
i did but that thing jump out ekk
vt4lifecuf
Member
Originally Posted by azfishgal
Put some egg crate on top of your tank, works great and still keeps the top open for heat to escape.
can you tell me where can i buy the eggcrate? where did you bought your black plastic media that right next to your filter on the bottom of your tank?
Put some egg crate on top of your tank, works great and still keeps the top open for heat to escape.
can you tell me where can i buy the eggcrate? where did you bought your black plastic media that right next to your filter on the bottom of your tank?
1journeyman
Active Member
Originally Posted by helpme74
get a Diamond Goby it will keep your sand clean
Actually, that's a bad idea.
Keeping a sand bed is not at all difficult, provided you set it up properly and stock your tank appropriately.
1. Proper sand bed depth. Shallow or deep, no in between.
2. Brisk, chaotic current in aquarium. (think 30x turnover) This keeps detritus in the water to get caught by #3
3. Heavy skimming
4. Good quality live rock and live sand. You want a large selection of micro organisms in your sand. The greatest clean up crew you have are the thousands of tiny critters you rarely see.
5. ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL: Proper tankmates. Sand sifters such as many Gobies, sand sifting stars, etc. will eat all of your critters. They effectively sterilize your sand bed allowing detritus to accumulate.
6. Sand stirrers such as Nass. snails are excellent. You want critters sitirring the top in or so of your sand.
Hope that helps.
get a Diamond Goby it will keep your sand clean
Actually, that's a bad idea.
Keeping a sand bed is not at all difficult, provided you set it up properly and stock your tank appropriately.
1. Proper sand bed depth. Shallow or deep, no in between.
2. Brisk, chaotic current in aquarium. (think 30x turnover) This keeps detritus in the water to get caught by #3
3. Heavy skimming
4. Good quality live rock and live sand. You want a large selection of micro organisms in your sand. The greatest clean up crew you have are the thousands of tiny critters you rarely see.
5. ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL: Proper tankmates. Sand sifters such as many Gobies, sand sifting stars, etc. will eat all of your critters. They effectively sterilize your sand bed allowing detritus to accumulate.
6. Sand stirrers such as Nass. snails are excellent. You want critters sitirring the top in or so of your sand.
Hope that helps.
aztec reef
Active Member
Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Actually, that's a bad idea.
Keeping a sand bed is not at all difficult, provided you set it up properly and stock your tank appropriately.
1. Proper sand bed depth. Shallow or deep, no in between.
2. Brisk, chaotic current in aquarium. (think 30x turnover) This keeps detritus in the water to get caught by #3
3. Heavy skimming
4. Good quality live rock and live sand. You want a large selection of micro organisms in your sand. The greatest clean up crew you have are the thousands of tiny critters you rarely see.
5. ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL: Proper tankmates. Sand sifters such as many Gobies, sand sifting stars, etc. will eat all of your critters. They effectively sterilize your sand bed allowing detritus to accumulate.
6. Sand stirrers such as Nass. snails are excellent. You want critters sitirring the top in or so of your sand.
Hope that helps.
Do that, and sandbeds will never Crash your tank.
Actually, that's a bad idea.
Keeping a sand bed is not at all difficult, provided you set it up properly and stock your tank appropriately.
1. Proper sand bed depth. Shallow or deep, no in between.
2. Brisk, chaotic current in aquarium. (think 30x turnover) This keeps detritus in the water to get caught by #3
3. Heavy skimming
4. Good quality live rock and live sand. You want a large selection of micro organisms in your sand. The greatest clean up crew you have are the thousands of tiny critters you rarely see.
5. ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL: Proper tankmates. Sand sifters such as many Gobies, sand sifting stars, etc. will eat all of your critters. They effectively sterilize your sand bed allowing detritus to accumulate.
6. Sand stirrers such as Nass. snails are excellent. You want critters sitirring the top in or so of your sand.
Hope that helps.
Do that, and sandbeds will never Crash your tank.
vt4lifecuf
Member
thanks for the tips
azfishgal
Active Member
Originally Posted by vt4lifecuf
can you tell me where can i buy the eggcrate? where did you bought your black plastic media that right next to your filter on the bottom of your tank?
You can get the eggcrate from Lowes or Home Depot, in the lighting section. They sell it in sheets and you just cut it down to size. As far as your second question, not sure what you mean. :notsure: If you are talking about the black grid that is holding my sponge filter, it came with the sump, which I bought from my lfs.
can you tell me where can i buy the eggcrate? where did you bought your black plastic media that right next to your filter on the bottom of your tank?
You can get the eggcrate from Lowes or Home Depot, in the lighting section. They sell it in sheets and you just cut it down to size. As far as your second question, not sure what you mean. :notsure: If you are talking about the black grid that is holding my sponge filter, it came with the sump, which I bought from my lfs.