Sand-sifting detrivore suggestions

[nikkipigtails]

I have a 47 gal (high) reef tank. Because my tank is so high I have to have a LOT of waterflow to get the water from the bottom up to the top. So...I have 2 1200's, a 600 and a 900 power heads. Because I have so much water moving around the bottom, I have Flamingo Reef substrate...it's really coarse and large and doesn't blow around with all the flow. I've been stirring the sand manually daily for the longest time, but I just had a baby and I can't always remember or have the time to do it. As a result, I'm starting to get pretty bad algae problems on the surface of the substrate. Does anyone have any suggestions of a good sand-sifting detrivore that will do well in such coarse substrate? We had a golden head sleeper goby in our 55 gal before we sold it and it did an awesome job, but I doubt it can sift such coarse sand.

Here's what I already have in my tank:

2 perc clowns
1 tang
1 coral beauty
1 coral banded shrimp
1 fire shrimp
1 bubble tip brittle star (it's about 18" in diameter and it needs a new home)
and a lot of hermits and terbo grazing snails

[framerguy]

Cerith snails would be what I go with.

[Woodstock]

Vacuum it during a water change. That will go a long way to remove nutrients and prevent nusiance algae growth.

Cerith snails will eat film algae, nassarius snails will eat detiritus and leftover food; both will stay on/in the sand bed.
I also like scarlet hermit crabs (red with yellow eye stalks) for part of my clean up crew.

[panmanmatt]

nassarius snails would be good as they are detritivores where as ceriths are herbivores. The ceriths will help clean up the algae present and kep the sand stirred up, nassarius will eat the left over foods and stir the sand bed.

Although I would bet that you will need to replace them regularly as your star will probably eat them in time.

[nikkipigtails]

Awesome. Thanks guys. My snails stay on the rocks. In fact, I got an emerald crab to help with the hair algae and they starved him to death. I seriously underestimated my snails...didn't give them enough time to work.

Vacuum it during a water change. That will go a long way to remove nutrients and prevent nusiance algae growth.

I vaccum the heck out of it. I do a 10% water change a week b/c of it. The water's always so dirty that I can't hardly see the bottom of the bucket.

[framerguy]

Nassarius Sp. ( nassarius snail)
Sz: 1/2"
MTS: 10 gal.
FF: Left over food and decaying organisms
RC: excellent reef animals, will not attack healthy animals
nassirius snails are found in all seas. They bury themselves in the sand to sleep and "pop out" when food is introduced to the tank. They are excellent for substrate oxygenation. Will not eat algae. I've read conflicting reports on their detritus feeding habits. They may or may not.
They have no lighting requirements.

Cerithium Sp. (Cerith snail)
Sz:less than 1"
MTS: 50 gal or larger
FF: Detritus, several types of algae, decaying organics, fish waste,
RC: among the best snails for the reef tank
Excellent reef snail. Will eat a wide variety of organic material. Will also plow through the sand searching for food which super oxygenates the substrate. Require lighting to sustain algae growth.

I hope you find this information helpful in choosing snails for your aquarium.

The stuff in blue is why I chose cerith snails for you.

[corrado007]

how much are you feeding?

[nikkipigtails]

I alternate seaweed (for my tang and coral beauty) with frozen reef cubes or brine shrimp. I feed everyday, but it's one or the other, never both. I've already started reducing the time my lights are on and I'm not noticing a difference.

Thanks framerguy