Keeping Sand clean?

[essmaker]

To fight my small sand ugliness issues I am making a few changes.

First I am only feeding every other day.

Second I am only going to use RO water for my evaporation replenishment.

Third, I am doing a 10% water change every week with RO water until I see some positive changes.

Thanks for your help everyone!

 

[Icebox]

I tend to overfeed, I do not want the fish to starve. I have a few diatoms that grow on the sand, but they do not last long. I have a Queen Conch, and a fighting Conch, and they do a great job. The Queen conch will climb the glass and rocks so be carefull on that if you do not want them climbing. the fighting conch preety much stays in the sand. He is great at stirring the sandbed as well. Last night he was burried , the only thing you could see was his mouth, and two eyes sticking out above the sand.

Mike

 

[Woodstock]

I overfeed too Icebox. I feed 2-4 times a day I really like vacuuming the bottom to remove all the nasties. I may go completely BB eventually.

 

[EdgeKrusher]

I am having major Cyano issues. I've dropped from feeding once a day to every other day, two time, small portions. but still the cyano is kicking my tanks A's. it's in the substrate now, my fighting conch could care less about it. I'm not sure what I can do anymore, I've done every convieable thing other than treat with chemicals and none of it's working.

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Crabs and shrimp do a great job on the left overs and are indespensible for overfeeders IMO.

:smirk:

 

[SeaShel]

I have hermits and a sand sifting star. My star only covers certain parts of my tank as well. Mainly it is the hermits for me and a couple of blennies that keep my sand clean.
I also have good water current throughout the tank which helps with buildup.
About every two months I vacuum the tiny collecting areas.

 

[jks1]

How deep is the sand bed Ess?

 

[JeffJ]

I have a massive amount of what I think is some kind of hair algae growing in my tank, mostly in one corner. It started when I added a powerhead. I realize I have a problem with water flow, but what critters could be added to help minimize this?

 

[essmaker]

Hey jks,

I started out with a 1.5" crushed coral bed. I have been adding sand on top of that, so the total bed is about 2-2.5" now.

I can't make it any deeper unless I tear everythin gout and start over.

 

[jks1]

i asked because of the corellation between deep sand and organic phosphate absorbtion (thanks Mike). I almost didnt say anything, dont want to start a sand depth war!

 

[essmaker]

Don't just tease us with a talk about DSB and phosphate.

I'd kinda like to hear what you're eluding to.

Maybe a new thread?

Thanks.

 

[mredman]

My "DSB" is less than one inch and I do not have a problem with either diatoms or cyanobacteria. In addition, my fish and corals are fed at least twice per day. However, I don't have a cleanup crew, moreso a cleanup army - nassarius, margaritas, astreas, turbos, stomatella, sand sifting stars, shrimp, emerald crabs, coral crabs, blue hermits and manual labor!

Mike

 

[essmaker]

WOW! You should rent those out by the day and subsidize your tank costs.