White Beaches

HORNFISH · 10-27-2004, 07:04 PM

I HAVE REEFING FOR 2 YRS NOW AND HAVE YET TO FIGURE ONE THING(WELL MORE THAN ONE THING)OUT. ALL THESE PICTURES I SEE THE SUBSTRATE IS BEAUTIFUL AND WHITE. I AM USING ARAGALIVE FIJI FINE PINK, HAVE SNAILS,HERMITS. AM I MISSING A UTILITY FISH OR SOME GREAT SECRET?

cheeks69 · 10-27-2004, 09:32 PM

What type of algea problems are you having ? Is it Cyano ? One thing that helped me was having good flow and having snails like Nassarius and Fighting Conchs they're great SB stirrers they keep it well oxygenated and will eat the leftovers keeping the sandbed nice and clean. What are your parameters ? How often do you feed ?

HORNFISH · 10-27-2004, 09:45 PM

NO CYANO, NO ALGEA, JUST DINGY LOOKING. FEEDING IS EVERY OTHER DAY,TO 5 VERY SMALL REEF FISH.

HORNFISH · 10-27-2004, 09:47 PM

PS YOUR PHOTO GALLERY IS BEAUTIFUL. NICE WHITE SAND.THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT

LuckyInk · 10-27-2004, 10:07 PM

I am guessing the white sand you are seeing isn't actually that white at all. Perhaps the photos taken are over exposing the sand to make it look whiter than usual. I guess the best way to test my theory is to ask Cheeks what color his sand actually is.

mps9506 · 10-27-2004, 10:31 PM

Lots of flow to keep the sand from settling and a few cucumbers to keep the sand sparkling clean. That's how I did it, now I'm bare bottomed though.
Mike

Curtswearing · 10-28-2004, 11:03 AM

Keeping a lot of critters definately helps. However, it is near impossible to keep it white forever. Steve Weast pulls and replaces the sandbed in his 850 gallon tank every couple of months but obviously, not everyone can afford to do that.

I usually recommend that people rubberband a stick to a piece of rubber tubing, start a siphon, and put the stick (but NOT the tubing into the top layer of sand and stir). Have the stick extend partially beyond the end of the tube. If you do this, you will suck out a lot of detritus that the stick stirs up but won't suck up any sand.

cheeks69 · 10-29-2004, 05:51 PM

What type of cleanup crew do you have ? IMO you need a crew that are good SB stirrers such as Nassarius snails and Fighting Conch that concentrate exclusively on the substrate to maintain you SB lookin nice and clean . I also try not to put too much rock in the main tank so you don't have a buildup of detritus in areas that get little flow.

HORNFISH · 10-29-2004, 06:24 PM

CU CREW IS MAINLY RED HERMITS AND TURBOS. 1 SERPANT STAR. WILLING TO TAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR A CRAM PACKED REEF TANK. ANY INVERTS AND MAYBE A FISH? ONE THAT WILL GET ALONG W/A 4 INCH LAWNMOWER BLENNIE, LIKE (VALENCIENNA PUELLARIS) SPOTTED SLEEPER GOBIE? OR ANY THING AT ALL.46 GALL BOW IS SIZE

mps9506 · 10-29-2004, 07:53 PM

I feel that tigertail cucumbers and other sand sifting cucumbers are mandatory for a sand bed.
Mike

wooddood · 10-30-2004, 08:50 AM

ummm hornfish your cap locks stuck on or what?

ps. syphon the sand bed what you have is normal in my opinion.

dave.

HORNFISH · 10-30-2004, 10:25 PM

Sorry all caps, college taught me little, thanks for the advice on the sub. Any other clean up crew members anyone?

wrightme43 · 10-31-2004, 12:06 PM

I am very fond of www.reeftopia.com they have very functional cleanup packages at good prices. 100 turbos, 100 mini blue leg hermits 25 cerith snails, and 50 nassisrius snails delived for less than 130$ Supposedly thats good for up to 100 gals. They keep my 75 very clean. Steve

cheeks69 · 11-01-2004, 09:02 PM

wrightme43 I have heard great things from reeftopia but I don't agree with their package deal for 100 Turbos for a 100gal tank, especially if their Mexican Turbos because they're voracious algea eaters and as soon as they wipe out the algea they'll slowly starve to death. JMO

JB NY · 11-02-2004, 09:10 AM

Buy a couple of fighting conchs. They'll keep the SB nice and white, in your case pink.

10-27-2004, 07:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
HORNFISH Bryozoan Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Nashville Posts: 46 View Gallery Karma Komment	White Beaches I HAVE REEFING FOR 2 YRS NOW AND HAVE YET TO FIGURE ONE THING(WELL MORE THAN ONE THING)OUT. ALL THESE PICTURES I SEE THE SUBSTRATE IS BEAUTIFUL AND WHITE. I AM USING ARAGALIVE FIJI FINE PINK, HAVE SNAILS,HERMITS. AM I MISSING A UTILITY FISH OR SOME GREAT SECRET?

10-27-2004, 09:32 PM	#2 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 6,855 View Gallery Karma Komment	What type of algea problems are you having ? Is it Cyano ? One thing that helped me was having good flow and having snails like Nassarius and Fighting Conchs they're great SB stirrers they keep it well oxygenated and will eat the leftovers keeping the sandbed nice and clean. What are your parameters ? How often do you feed ? __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

10-27-2004, 09:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
HORNFISH Bryozoan Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Nashville Posts: 46 View Gallery Karma Komment	NO CYANO, NO ALGEA, JUST DINGY LOOKING. FEEDING IS EVERY OTHER DAY,TO 5 VERY SMALL REEF FISH. __________________ " Ah Marge, your as pretty as Princess Leia, and as smart as Yoda."

10-27-2004, 09:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
HORNFISH Bryozoan Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Nashville Posts: 46 View Gallery Karma Komment	PS YOUR PHOTO GALLERY IS BEAUTIFUL. NICE WHITE SAND.THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR INPUT __________________ " Ah Marge, your as pretty as Princess Leia, and as smart as Yoda."

10-27-2004, 10:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
LuckyInk Reef Painter Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 565 View Gallery Karma Komment	I am guessing the white sand you are seeing isn't actually that white at all. Perhaps the photos taken are over exposing the sand to make it look whiter than usual. I guess the best way to test my theory is to ask Cheeks what color his sand actually is. __________________ When you can feel the humidity pouring off the canvas and the salt spray on your face, my job is done.

10-27-2004, 10:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
mps9506 Totally stoked dude Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,518 View Gallery Karma Komment	Lots of flow to keep the sand from settling and a few cucumbers to keep the sand sparkling clean. That's how I did it, now I'm bare bottomed though. Mike __________________ Mike "The Bandwith Bandit" Help Build Reefpedia Premium Membership Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

10-28-2004, 11:03 AM	#7 (permalink)
Curtswearing Golden Moray Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 2,596 View Gallery Karma Komment	Keeping a lot of critters definately helps. However, it is near impossible to keep it white forever. Steve Weast pulls and replaces the sandbed in his 850 gallon tank every couple of months but obviously, not everyone can afford to do that. I usually recommend that people rubberband a stick to a piece of rubber tubing, start a siphon, and put the stick (but NOT the tubing into the top layer of sand and stir). Have the stick extend partially beyond the end of the tube. If you do this, you will suck out a lot of detritus that the stick stirs up but won't suck up any sand. __________________ In memory of Fluffy, please pause before hitting enter---being nice is free. Click for ReefKeeping FAQ'S Click for Product Reviews Click for Photo ID Gallery http://curtcpapfs.com/downloads/1Curt.jpg

10-29-2004, 05:51 PM	#8 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 6,855 View Gallery Karma Komment	What type of cleanup crew do you have ? IMO you need a crew that are good SB stirrers such as Nassarius snails and Fighting Conch that concentrate exclusively on the substrate to maintain you SB lookin nice and clean . I also try not to put too much rock in the main tank so you don't have a buildup of detritus in areas that get little flow. __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

10-29-2004, 06:24 PM	#9 (permalink)
HORNFISH Bryozoan Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Nashville Posts: 46 View Gallery Karma Komment	CU CREW IS MAINLY RED HERMITS AND TURBOS. 1 SERPANT STAR. WILLING TO TAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR A CRAM PACKED REEF TANK. ANY INVERTS AND MAYBE A FISH? ONE THAT WILL GET ALONG W/A 4 INCH LAWNMOWER BLENNIE, LIKE (VALENCIENNA PUELLARIS) SPOTTED SLEEPER GOBIE? OR ANY THING AT ALL.46 GALL BOW IS SIZE __________________ " Ah Marge, your as pretty as Princess Leia, and as smart as Yoda."

10-29-2004, 07:53 PM	#10 (permalink)
mps9506 Totally stoked dude Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Wilmington, NC Posts: 7,518 View Gallery Karma Komment	I feel that tigertail cucumbers and other sand sifting cucumbers are mandatory for a sand bed. Mike __________________ Mike "The Bandwith Bandit" Help Build Reefpedia Premium Membership Available! Support Reef Sanctuary Sponsors

10-30-2004, 08:50 AM	#11 (permalink)
wooddood the wood dude Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: CARMEL. INDIANA Posts: 3,450 View Gallery Karma Komment	ummm hornfish your cap locks stuck on or what? ps. syphon the sand bed what you have is normal in my opinion. dave. __________________ 120 gal/in wall tank/starboard substraight/2 250 watt 10k xm metal halides/ 4 55watt 03 actinics/150lbs lr/scwd on return/scwd on a closed loop/aquaclear aquatics 200 pro wetdry w/skimmer. ask all the questions you have if we cant answer it we'll make up some thing. remember patience is the key to a kick ass reef. dave.

10-30-2004, 10:25 PM	#12 (permalink)
HORNFISH Bryozoan Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Nashville Posts: 46 View Gallery Karma Komment	Sorry all caps, college taught me little, thanks for the advice on the sub. Any other clean up crew members anyone? __________________ " Ah Marge, your as pretty as Princess Leia, and as smart as Yoda."

10-31-2004, 12:06 PM	#13 (permalink)
wrightme43 Tunicate Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bowling Green KY Posts: 5 View Gallery Karma Komment	I am very fond of www.reeftopia.com they have very functional cleanup packages at good prices. 100 turbos, 100 mini blue leg hermits 25 cerith snails, and 50 nassisrius snails delived for less than 130$ Supposedly thats good for up to 100 gals. They keep my 75 very clean. Steve

11-01-2004, 09:02 PM	#14 (permalink)
cheeks69 Wannabe Guru Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Northeast Posts: 6,855 View Gallery Karma Komment	wrightme43 I have heard great things from reeftopia but I don't agree with their package deal for 100 Turbos for a 100gal tank, especially if their Mexican Turbos because they're voracious algea eaters and as soon as they wipe out the algea they'll slowly starve to death. JMO __________________ Robert My Cube “A spirit is manifest in the laws of the Universe—a spirit vastly superior to that of man, and one in the face of which we with our modest powers must feel humble.” Albert Einstein

11-02-2004, 09:10 AM	#15 (permalink)
JB NY Fire Coral Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Long Island Posts: 69 View Gallery Karma Komment	Buy a couple of fighting conchs. They'll keep the SB nice and white, in your case pink. __________________ -Joe

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