Sand needs DEEP cleaning

[zigginit]

I notice that my sand is pretty dirty. if I move the sand it puts off a brown cloud of poo. I added a sand star already and have hermits and snails. but I do not have a lot of sand space to really add any more sand sifters. I have tried using a gravel vac with water changes but it sucks the sand out completely in those areas I try it on. I do not want to lose sand as I already am in need of adding some. most of the sand has blown toward the back of the tank over time. Should I suck small amounts out at time and clean and return? will doing it to fast cause problems? I dont want to piss off the sps with brown clouds of death. I think the dirty sand may be messing with corals already as its a poo trap. I have gfo and chaeto already and reading are low however I have not tested in a while. I also have a deep sand bed in the sump with similar problem. what would you do?

 

[civicdemon]

Best to just get sand sifters, But its a Love hate relationship with some of them, Like me i love my Dimond goby, but sometimes he tries to make his home under my brain corals and it pisses me off. My Conches do great job keeping sand clean also. Plus i have some nassariouse snails also. I really want to get some more nassariouse they great at keeping the sand stired up.

 

[Allen Oswalt]

Not sure the name but thier are snails thst burrow under the sand seems like the did work on top an in the sand.

 

[G-Tank]

Get a lot of Nassarius Snails. They live under the sand and sift through crap.

 

[xmas_one]

Why don't you just get rid of it? Siphon as much as you can out with every water change.

 

[GoReef165]

I also have a DSB and had the same issue. I had to pretty much take out most of my rock work (with corals on them) and syphon/stir the sand bed throughout. I then used a net to scoop up all the free floating chunks of stuff.... all the time running clean socks. The brown poo cloud won't hurt you spa as long as you run clean socks until it settles down. Thewn just turkey baste them off along with all your rock work when done. I also had to add a new CUC batch. You'll need a lot of nasarious snails...but they won't solve your issue. Basically you need anything that will break up and continually mix your sand around as much as possible on an on going basis. Everything helps and there's no one "fix all" solution. This is one of the down sides of a DSB.

How's your flow? I have 2 MP40's but just added a WP40 and that really helped

 

[civicdemon]

Do not do what the guy above just said. If you don't constantly stir your sand bed and then all of a sudden you stir it you will cause a huge nitrate spike from trapped ditriouse. If your planing on stering it around do a little at a time or 1/4 right before water change.

 

[GoReef165]

Do not do what the guy above just said. If you don't constantly stir your sand bed and then all of a sudden you stir it you will cause a huge nitrate spike from trapped ditriouse. If your planing on stering it around do a little at a time or 1/4 right before water change.

In your opinion.

Chris: Like I said... WC afterwards, run GFO and maybe a new bag of carbon and you'll be fine.

 

[Fly5150]

Do not do what the guy above just said. If you don't constantly stir your sand bed and then all of a sudden you stir it you will cause a huge nitrate spike from trapped ditriouse. If your planing on stering it around do a little at a time or 1/4 right before water change.

That works on a shallow sand bed. Stirring it up is normal. You can't disturb a deep sand bed. My 180 has been set up for 2 years with a 4-5 dsb, I've never disturbed it.


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[GoReef165]

That works on a shallow sand bed. Stirring it up is normal. You can't disturb a deep sand bed. My 180 has been set up for 2 years with a 4-5 dsb, I've never disturbed it.


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I thought the same thing...I also have a 4-5" DSB and never disturbed it for 5 years... and it backfired on me. Read up on DSBs on other forums and you'll see all sorts of potential issues. IMO you need to disturb it from time to time or all that detritus will build and you'll have issues. Mine was fine for at least 4 years no issues.

 

[Fly5150]

I thought the same thing...I also have a 4-5" DSB and never disturbed it for 5 years... and it backfired on me. Read up on DSBs on other forums and you'll see all sorts of potential issues. IMO you need to disturb it from time to time or all that detritus will build and you'll have issues. Mine was fine for at least 4 years no issues.

Besides the 50+ nassarius snails I have, plus about a million bristle worms, I don't disturb it. I read for days before deciding to do a dsb. I'm not touching it.


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[zigginit]

thanks for the replies.

I could add a few nassarius snails but in realality I don't have a lot of floor space if you know what I mean. my rock pile takes up about 80% of the floor. I have sand trails around the rocks if that makes sense. only a bout 3 or 4 inches wide. I do have a larger open area in the front center but I have some corals on it so again kinda limits sand space. I have 3 power heads in there that have blown the sand kinda to the back over the years. I sometimes move some forward again but its makes water dirty when I do. the front of my tank now has a thin almost can see the glass sand bed. the side slop up to the back when the sand reaches about 3 inches. I can not remove my rocks. The only time I will ever do that is if I move so that's out for now. So its not really a deep sand bed but it is packed with the same crap you would find in one. here is pic from about 2 months ago so the sand has sloped a little more then in this pic.

 

[zigginit]

and for the nassarius snails do you guys have the huge ones or the little guys. I had 2 huge ones a long time ago that would rocket out of the sand when feed.

 

[DEC6]

Use your gravel vac at water changes. Just regulate the flow with your thumb on the end of the hose so only the waste is removed and not your sand.

 

[civicdemon]

Nassariuse will work on your tank, they go into the sand so it will help and you have plenty of exposed sand for them. If you can get the bigger tonga ones but if not the smaller ones from reefcleaners work well also, just get a bunch of them and you should be set.

 

[fonz4u]

Same problem in my 90

Nassariuse will work on your tank, they go into the sand so it will help and you have plenty of exposed sand for them. If you can get the bigger tonga ones but if not the smaller ones from reefcleaners work well also, just get a bunch of them and you should be set.

Would anyone recommend removing all the sand and replacing with fresh new live sand. I know that would be abig project. Any suggestions would help

 

[barbazoid]

I agree dont all at once stir it.
I find that the coc can only do so much so i use a gravel vac and siphon out as much of the detritus as i can into one 5 gal jug then after remove another 5 out of the water column then replace the water with some fresh mixed IO salt.
Also I try and do sections of my sand bed at a time roughly 20% of the exposed surface area.

A litttle of topic but how long do you let your salt mix for? until its tank temp?

 

[zigginit]

I agree dont all at once stir it.
I find that the coc can only do so much so i use a gravel vac and siphon out as much of the detritus as i can into one 5 gal jug then after remove another 5 out of the water column then replace the water with some fresh mixed IO salt.
Also I try and do sections of my sand bed at a time roughly 20% of the exposed surface area.

A litttle of topic but how long do you let your salt mix for? until its tank temp?

In summer I just mix and let it clear and then do the water change with in 30 mins. in winter I let it sit with a heater until its at tank temp. this is due to me having my water storage in the garage where it gets cold.