What to use to clean the sand?

[jcsurfn]

I have a 55 gal. tank. 60# LS 20# LR plan on getting more. 11 snails, 6 hermit crabs, 1 peppermint shrimp, 1 sand sifting star.
2 percula clowns.
My star takes car of the sand bed, but I have herd that they are not good for LS. I used argonite sand. it was not live to start out with but when I put my LR in I thought that would seed the sand? My question is should I get rid of the star? If so what else can I get to take care of the sand bed? How about a britle?
Also do you think I need to seed my sand more with some a bag of LS or do you think the LR will take care of it. The tank has been up almost 6 months now.
Thank You

 

[ophiura]

I would trade the star back in, if you are interested in actually having a functional deep sand bed. They will eat the critters you are trying to encourage to grow there. A brittle will do nothing to help a sand bed and keep it clean (in terms of eating algae, etc). It depends on the size of your sand particles. Many types of sand are too big for something like a sand sifting cucumber. Some conchs are good choices.
LR will often colonize a sand bed over time, but adding a booster wouldn't hurt. Could be as little as a handful of sand from an established tank. How deep is your sand bed?

 

[dindi]

Susan knows best, you willl do well to take your star back, it won't help your your sand bed

 

[jcsurfn]

The stuff I am worried about is the algae color the just turns on the top of the sand bed. I need something to turn that up a bit so it looks nice. The color it should be. My sand bed it about 3 inchs I would say. Maybe a little less. never really mesured it. Also it is pretty fine. Not to fine though.
I also hear people talk about pods and worms. i think I have seen some pods. Not on my snad bed but on my galss. What about worms? Do oyu have to buy them or will they appear from the LR? Also what kind or worms?
Thank You

 

[thomas712]

Your worms and pods can come in on the live rock or live sand. You can order pod kits and such on line. If possible you could get a cup or two of sand from someones tank and add it to you own. There are many forms of polychaete worms, like bristle worms that usually hitchhike in on the live rock. These critters that live in your sand bed are called the infauna. All these pods and worms will seek out detrius and any uneaten food even algea. By moving around they keep the sandbed turned and healthy.
Thomas

 

[birdy]

A fighting conch will constantly move the top layer of the sandbed. I had two for my tank and really liked them.

 

[jcsurfn]

Do they mostly hang out on the sand bed?