How do you guys keep your sand bed clean?

[Lowefx]

I have fine sand at the bottom of my tank, and i cant keep it nearly as clean as other pictures on this site. My 55gal has 1-Conch snail, 2-turbo snails, 2-damsels, coco worm, and 1 Wrasse. A few small frags at the moment. HOB Filter.
Whan i syphon water for my water change, it doesnt pick up the crap, and if it does i get sand too. Plus i dont want to disturb it too much.

Can Anyone help me?

[ItzJustinN]

i would get some nassarius vibex snails and possibly add a goby.

[Allmost]

how thick is the sand bed ?

if shallow, stir it during the week

if deep, stir the top during the week.

a comb or a kent algae scrapper works great.

[Lowefx]

I would say its maybe 2"s deep. Should i still stir it?

[Palting]

Originally Posted by Lowefx

I would say its maybe 2"s deep. Should i still stir it?

Yes. I agitate sections of my 2" substrate maybe once every 2 weeks or so,

I see pictures tanks with pristine white sand. I am sorry, but in my opinion that is just not natural. In nature, pristine white sand is dead, like in the beach that we all lay down on and get sunburned. The substrate and rocks around living reef is full of life, living organisms of all color, including dirty brown and gray and black and green. I have a medium grain black substrate, and I keep it "clean enough". It's not coal black like it was when it was brand new, but it is mottled in a tapestry of colors. The grains are large enough you can see diffrent colored coraline on them, but there are small patches of turf algae as well. No GHA, no cyano, but even of there were, I would probably leave them alone, too, as long as they didn't become mats. If it comes off with a turkey baster, then it's dirt or "detritus" and should be gone. If it stays there, then it's a life form and shoiuld be left alone. I guess it's a question of taste, opinion, and what we want, but I want my reef tank natural.

[Allmost]

Originally Posted by Palting

Yes. I agitate sections of my 2" substrate maybe once every 2 weeks or so,

I see pictures tanks with pristine white sand. I am sorry, but in my opinion that is just not natural. In nature, pristine white sand is dead, like in the beach that we all lay down on and get sunburned. The substrate and rocks around living reef is full of life, living organisms of all color, including dirty brown and gray and black and green. I have a medium grain black substrate, and I keep it "clean enough". It's not coal black like it was when it was brand new, but it is mottled in a tapestry of colors. The grains are large enough you can see diffrent colored coraline on them, but there are small patches of turf algae as well. No GHA, no cyano, but even of there were, I would probably leave them alone, too, as long as they didn't become mats. If it comes off with a turkey baster, then it's dirt or "detritus" and should be gone. If it stays there, then it's a life form and shoiuld be left alone. I guess it's a question of taste, opinion, and what we want, but I want my reef tank natural.

not all bacteria are color full
so you can have a sand bed full of life, yet white.

when bactria and detritus starts to build up, then u can notice it. and that needs to be dealt with.

you can keep the sand bed prety white and clean, but it wont be what it was at first day tank was set up though.

you are using larger grain, and coraline can grow on it, this happens less often with fine sand.

[sponger0]

Nassarius snails and Starry blenny

[bamf25]

I syphon it when I do my water changes. I have medium grade sand not sugarfine so that picks up fine particulate, but leave the sand.

[Uncle Salty 05]

Originally Posted by bamf25

i syphon it when i do my water changes. I have medium grade sand not sugarfine so that picks up fine particulate, but leave the sand.

+1

[Playa-1]

I keep my sand bed clean with a Diamond Goby and 40x flow from powerheads.

[EasyEd77]

I have two fighting conch snails that do a great job keeping the sand white. They are also interesting critters to watch.

[JCKoenig]

My diamond goby does a great job!

[Lowefx]

Just did a 5gal water change trying to suck up and crap from the bottom. didnt work as planned. Sand was all clumped together and didnt come clean....i gotta get a goby and more snails i guess...What goby is the most colorful and fun to watch that isnt aggressive and wont eat my coral. The less it hides the better.

[TPSante]

I have an orange spot goby and he had my 60 cube sparkling in a week. I'm a little worried he's not getting enough to eat now! It's amazing, he's so efficient!

[Andrew]

You should never have to clean your sand. Mine is always white as can be. Keep up on water changes, use rodi water, and keep your phosphates at zero. Could snails in the mix and you won't ever have to clean it.

[Lowefx]

I do use RODI water, and phosphate was tested at 0.25 guess i need more snails and goby's

[agruetz]

Originally Posted by Lowefx

I do use RODI water, and phosphate was tested at 0.25 guess i need more snails and goby's

There is the issue right there. The phosphates in your RODI. The filters need changing the RODI should have nothing in it when done. However i use a queen conch to keep mine clean and stirred. Does a great job... needs a lot of sand space and might need extra feedings they eat a lot.

[toned]

my diamond goby did a great job until he found a 1x1 opening in the cover and jumped out

[ajcanale]

Ideal water parameters (Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0, Nitrate < 5, Phosphate = low) + a good CUC = clean sand. An established tank helps too.

[Lowefx]

Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite were all 0, calc was 390, posphate was 0.25 before the 5gal water change. Ill retest tonight, but i think i gotta order more snails and a goby.

[cloak]

Here's a good article.

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-03/rs/index.php

[ISHIRIX.]

I mean absoloutly no offence as I say this but paltings response sounds almost like justifying dirt on a white carpet how the color of sand and mud would make it more beautiful that aside it was still a good answer. BTW diamond goby's are great sand cleaners just careful for rock collapses only problem I've had is he makes sand piles but that's Easyer than stirring the whole bet right lol

[tophericks]

I have medium grade sand not sugarfine so that picks up fine particulate