Sand Cleanup...

[zj4play]

I have a new tank (about 2 weeks) and just got my cleanup crew in there. I have five turbo snails, five hermit crabs, and a sand sifting starfish....and they are making a freekin' mess! I think the snails are too big for my 29 gallon tank and are knocking stuff off the rocks to the sand and its getting messy.
How do you guys keep the sand looking clean

and all the dust off the rocks?

 

[mes1]

to keep the sand clean just sturr the top layer of the sandbed with your finger every week during a water change. gobys and certain types of snails help with shifting the sand also. and to keep your rocks clean just get an everyday turkey baster and blow all the sand off. it will get your tank a bit foggy but will eventualy clear up with clean rocks.. hope the helps

 

[zj4play]

It did help, thanks. I think I am going to take back the big snails for some smaller ones too

 

[mes1]

no problem. good sand shifters are nassarius snails. they burrow into your sandbed and will also clean up any leftover food that falls onto the sand.

 

[zj4play]

Its not really food thats falling onto the sand...The snails are so damn big they are breaking off little peices of rock that just litter my sand floor.