fowlr sand bed Help?

[rs30]

if i am runing a fowlr should it be live sand if i do uses live sand how do you go about keeping it claen. are There invers that the fish will not eat? Thanks

[kv2wr1]

You can use dead sand as it will become live eventually. Some people seed their sand bed using a scoop or two from an established tank. Maybe an inch or 2 depending on the fish you want to keep. Also, you may not be able to keep a clean up crew (they may get eaten depending on the fish). You could get a sand sifting goby or a goatfish to keep the sand clean if your tank is big enough.

[namxas]

What's the compelling reason for wanting your sand sifted? It's really not necessary unless you use CC, and then, you'll want to vacuum it regularly when you do your WC's.

Smaller-grained substrates don't trap detritus the way CC does, and thus, don't require anything in the way of cleaning, other than keeping the surface free of detritus, uneaten food, etc.

Sand sifting fish, cukes, etc. all feed on the important microfauna in your substrate, and will soon completely deplete it of life, which kinda of defeats its purpose beyond the cosmetic benefit.

[Palting]

Greg, you are my hero! This is something I have been pushing for in the reef forum. Leave the substrate alone. It is part of the biology of the reef and the tank. Microfauma thrive in there, performing not only a beneficial biofiltration function, but serve as food for both fish and coral. My mandarins are constantly pecking at the substrate, and I've actually seen my 6 line pull critters out to consume them. At most I will do a surface stir to get any deritus and uneaten food into the water column to be processed by the filtration.

[Palting]

Ooops, wrong thread. Sorry.

[Kyuss]

If you are planning on any rhinecanthus triggers in your fowlr, they'll keep the sandbed well stirred up IME lol.

[rs30]

A rhinecanthus triggers was on my list?

[Kyuss]

Shouldn't be a problem then as they tend to continually move the sandbed from one end of the tank to the other and everywhere inbetween.