Surface sand cleaning

[beth]

Yeah, I know I have a DSB and that these do get a bit "dirty" in the bed, but I'd sure like to find a way to keep the surface sand sparkling clean. I have what should be good sources of sand sifters [mirco crabs, bristleworms, F-conch, brittle stars, etc., etc., but the surface sand still gets "dirty". I see these tanks that folks post on the BB where the substrate looks like they just poured it from the bag! Are they just cleaning it up before they take a pic or what??
Any suggestions about what to do to achieve that, or is it just a matter of stirring the sand a bit? Its not that my sand is a mess, or anything, but, like my carpet and floors, I like it squeaky clean...
You guys have any secret weapon?

 

[wamp]

My secret weapon? A cucumber.. This guy really tears it up.. I do not have a DSB though
Maybe some more stars and crabs would help. I have 5 brittle stars in my 180 plus all the babies they have had.. Not to mention the snails and crabs..

 

[mr . salty]

I have tried just about every sand sifter,and they all seem to make more of a mess than they are worth.Gobies spit it out allover the rockwork,Stars make rutts in the smooth surface,and so on and so on.....I stir mine every couple days....You want it done RIGHT,you have to do it yourself...

 

[beth]

Well, I've been pretty much following Dr. Ron's school of thought and have not added starfish, though I know they are good stirers. [But I do have some micro stars] Perhaps I'll look into the cucumber. The brittles seem to hang out mostly in the rock...and, yes, I have babies of those too. Snails hang out on the glass and rocks, not too much of them go in the sand. I have very small craps and a red leg as well as an emerald. I never see the latter 2! I might post this in Reef, cause there must be some way that these guys get those sand beds snowflake white! Perhaps they alter the image before placing them on the net. LOL
The problem I have with doing lots of "stirring" is that the fine particles settled on the bed as well as fine sand grains become suspended in the water, and, invariably, settle on things that I don't want them to settle on...like my corals. <img src="graemlins//dead.gif" border="0" alt="[dead]" />

 

[hound]

Have you tried fighting Conchs for your sand bed I have 3 in my 65 and they keep it clean.Works ok IMO check it out for yorself.

 

[richierich2000]

I got a horseshoe crab and it stirs my sand all day long he is neat to watch
<a href="http://richierich20000.tripod.com/" target="_blank">http://richierich20000.tripod.com/</a>

 

[gemini]

How long have you had your horseshoe crab? We have had 2 in our 80 gal and 1 in our 37 gal for about a week now and have only seen them once or twice the whole week - and that was at night after the lights had been out for a while. I'd love to watch ours during the day, as they are really cool to watch! <img src="graemlins//confused.gif" border="0" alt="[confused]" />