Sandbed question

[oro50]

Hello,
I am someone who has now had a 20 gallon Long, saltwater tank for 6 months and 2 weeks.

I currently have one red juvenile clownfish.

I have four devices creating aeration throughout the tank. I have two powerheads, 1 HOB filter meant for a 30 gallon tank and 1 fluval 106 canister filter.

With that said I already have about 20lbs of sand that makes up my existing sand-bed.

I also have about 12 cleaner crew (mostly snails and 2 hermit crabs) that call my tank home.

So I have looked online to try to find the answer to the few questions I have, and I have found conflicting answers.

My first question revolves around what I've been told by many which is to not disturb my existing sandbed in anyway, as this can cause nasty bacteria causing a possible toxic situation towards my fish other invertebrates?

I've also been told not to disturb the sandbed because the strains of nitrifying bacteria, nitrifying soma, and nitrifying bacter are still continuing to develop?

Anyway so my first question is, if I bought some more live sand to make my existing sandbed deeper, can I get away with the practice of

gradually putting in a little at a time, say every four weeks, that in time would
1. Deepen my sandbed and thus increase the amount of bacteria that could eventually colonize my existing bed and at the same time, not cause any major issues of disturbance since this method would allow for gradual growth?


My second question though is this necessary to strengthen the bacteria bed for my tank, because besides the sandbed I have and live rock in my tank so far, aren't strains of beneficial bacteria already existing in the water that my tank holds and aren't they just continuing to develop as time goes on anyway?

Last question
So my tank is 6 months and 2 weeks old as of today. With this said, I have left my sandbed alone. Yet this means that for six months and 2 weeks, my fish as well as my other invertebrates have been using their aquarium home for their toilets.

I have two gravel vacs, but they don't seem to work well at all, so essentially for this whole time, I haven't really cleaned my sandbed at all I guess. All their organic waste has just been gradually building up.

Thus do you know how your suppose to gravel vac the sandbed? Again my gravel vacs really haven't been able to easily suck up I guess their organic muck much at all, without taking a-lot of sand with it?

Is there a specific method your suppose to use your gravel vac. I even have one battery operated one, which I thought would be easier to use and it also doesn't seem to work well at all.

Even if I eventually get the graval vacuuming down, are you suppose to do this every two weeks every month, every two months etc?

If I just continue to just leave my sandbed alone, but meaning I continue to not gravel vac it is this going to cause a dangerous issue to my tank's mini ecosystem?

Thanks

 

[edd]

if you want more space for bacteria to colonize, i would add more rock.
if you have 1.5-2" sand bed then leave it alone.
i use a syphon type vac. you have to keep your thumb on the end of hose to control the syphon and sand.

 

[MikeC]

Google this -> "Reefkeeping made easy- what was not explained"

 

[Will]

Forget the battery operated one...On a regular vacuum when the siphon starts you have to pinch the tube to slow down the siphon once the sand is picked up in the tube this will help to prevent sucking the sand into the siphon. if your sandbed is 2in or less , I wouldn't worry too much about disturbing it as it relates to a deep sand bed that has been established a long time. I vacuum my sand bed at every water change with no problems at all.