Shallow Sand Bed SSB clean?

[FlyTekk]

How does everyone keep their shallow sandbed clean? Im a barebottom guy who is going to try a SSB. I love BArebottom and rather got that way but just had a bad experience where main tank was cut off from skimmer, filter sock, gfo/carbon.... and almost lost everything.

Rather rely on nature then con ed.

Is it the critters? Is it vacumming during water changes? Please all input appreciated.

 

[Tonyscoots84]

I would say mostly critters. a good clean up crew a tank well

 

[skene]

a python or similar doesn't hurt either if there is too much detritus that cannot be cleaned up by cuc.

 

[wschang812]

how shallow?

 

[FlyTekk]

about 2". Whats a python?

 

[wschang812]

you can go with a small sleeper goby. good to aerate and clean the sand substrate.

 

[Imbarrie]

I have a sand bed and never vacuum it. When you vacuum you will lose the natural life that populates the sand bed.
The best things I have found are nassarius snails but my sand bed is covered with small tube dwelling worms. Both of these keep my sand clean. Also have a YWG and an algae blenny and they do their part.

 

[yogi]

I have a sand bed and never vacuum it. When you vacuum you will lose the natural life that populates the sand bed.
The best things I have found are nassarius snails but my sand bed is covered with small tube dwelling worms. Both of these keep my sand clean. Also have a YWG and an algae blenny and they do their part.

What is a YWG? Looking for an algae blenny. I have blue/red crabs, turbo snails, nirite snails, and nassarius snails. These guys put in work. The tangs work hard too. I feed them seaweed, but I still see them picking at the rocks and sand sometimes.

 

[rbtwo4]

Yeah nassarius snails are awesome! As soon as u feed tank they are like zombies coming out of their graves lol or u can get a sand sifting fish like they said or starfish. I never used a python cus from what I understand is u shouldn't disturb the sand bed.

 

[FlyTekk]

I think you shouldnt disturb a dsb. Shallow im not so sure which is why im asking.

So these fishes eat crap?

 

[rookie07]

I clean my sand bed every so often (3-6 months), otherwise it gets dirty/brown/algae covered. I siphon out 1/4 of the tank on two consecutive days if I notice any build up.

I have a 3" sandbed

 

[FlyTekk]

Okay well since i came from bare bottom and caught all solid matter in 200 micron mesh sock that lead to a 100 micron felt sock with a swc cone skimmer and brs reactor gfo/carbon....

I have clean ocd in my reef. I think it killed 3 fish.

Can isyphon sand every sunday along side 10% water change?

 

[basiab]

I have crushed coral in a 24 gallon Aquapod for 3 years. Right now I have no algae or cayano problems but I have had them at times. I don't have anything that I bought to clean the botton and I don't siphon. Nasarius snails die in my tank so I have no critters cleaning the bottom other that worms and pods that have come via hitchiking. When I have a cayano outbreak I blame it on the crushed coral but with extra water changes it gets cleaned up and I leave things as is.

 

[tomtoothdoc]

What is a YWG?

i think he means yellow watchman gobie