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View Full Version : Who vacuums their sandbed?


sharuq1
04-27-2008, 04:52 AM
I have a SSB running on my tank, but the tank is so full of rock I really can't reach much of it...and the parts I can reach just end up in the bucket because my sand (caribsea aragamax) is too light to fall back down in the siphon thingie. Just wondering who all vacuums there sandbed?

And for those who do, how do you keep your sand from all ending up in your bucket? I could easily vacuum pretty much all of it directly into the bucket =/ If it is by using a different brand, what is that brand and grain size/shape?

Edit: I have an orange lipped conch and a signal goby that keep the sand churned up like Myka says, but I am worried about the possible detritus that may be building up.

danny zubot
04-27-2008, 04:53 AM
Sometimes I vacuum the top if there is cyano, but usually I just stir it up a bit prior to a water change.

fkshiu
04-27-2008, 04:56 AM
I vacuum my SSB every water change. Keeps it nice a tidy looking. I guesstimate that I'll have to start adding new sand about once a year.

Steve Weast of Oregon Reef fame changed his entire sandbed on a regular basis.

Pan
04-27-2008, 05:06 AM
I have a SSB running on my tank, but the tank is so full of rock I really can't reach much of it...and the parts I can reach just end up in the bucket because my sand (caribsea aragamax) is too light to fall back down in the siphon thingie. Just wondering who all vacuums there sandbed?

And for those who do, how do you keep your sand from all ending up in your bucket? I could easily vacuum pretty much all of it directly into the bucket =/ If it is by using a different brand, what is that brand and grain size/shape?
I keep my very shallow (except at certain points) sandbed stirred and then run the diatom filter for awhile after. I usually stir it up once or twice a week and run the diatom after for a day or so. Keeps everything clean, mostly. To keep it perfectly clean and crisp you would need to replace it every month or so. There was a guy in europe on a rc tank of the month who replaced his whole sandbed i beleive once a month. Always a beautiful white.

Pan
04-27-2008, 05:10 AM
Sometimes I vacuum the top if there is cyano, but usually I just stir it up a bit prior to a water change.
I've seen your tank danny, i find it hard to believe it ever looks worse than perfect :)

Myka
04-27-2008, 05:36 AM
I don't vacuum my sandbed, I have an Orange Lip Conch that does a very good job of keeping the sand churned, and white. :)

EDIT: Forgot to mention I have a Hector's Goby that sifts the sand all day too. He picks at the rocks too. :)

marie
04-27-2008, 05:55 AM
I have an inbetween ssb and dsb (up to 3" in some spots) and I leave it be, the worms get a bit upset if i disturb it :lol:

Reefer Rob
04-27-2008, 02:20 PM
I mostly vacuum my SSB when I feel like it. I keeps getting harder to get to all the time, so eventually I probably won't be able to. I vacuum into a filter sock, so I can take my time.

Lance
04-27-2008, 03:02 PM
I keep my very shallow (except at certain points) sandbed stirred and then run the diatom filter for awhile after. I usually stir it up once or twice a week and run the diatom after for a day or so. Keeps everything clean, mostly. To keep it perfectly clean and crisp you would need to replace it every month or so. There was a guy in europe on a rc tank of the month who replaced his whole sandbed i beleive once a month. Always a beautiful white.



I do the same thing, but also put an extension on the intake of the diatom and suck up any algae from rocks, powerheads, etc. An extension on the exhaust also works good for blowing detritus from hard to get to places.

Myka
04-27-2008, 04:50 PM
Edit: I have an orange lipped conch and a signal goby that keep the sand churned up like Myka says, but I am worried about the possible detritus that may be building up.

If your powerheads are placed properly and are of the right size you should have NO detritus building up. If you notice a spot, adjust your powerheads. I do notice detritus on top of the sand now and then, and when I see it I do suck it out during a waterchange and then adjust my powerheads, but by no means do I vacuum the sand.

hillbillyreefer
04-27-2008, 06:03 PM
Nassarius snails, strawberry conch, tiger tail sea cumcumber keep my bed stirred and white. No need for me to do anything.

surgeonfish
04-27-2008, 07:27 PM
I have too much LR around the tank to vacuum the sand bed. My damsels do a good job at digging it up and leaving it in large piles.

Sebae again
04-28-2008, 04:43 AM
I have no need to . I have 2 auto vacs, a black and a tiger tail cuke.

niloc16
04-28-2008, 05:03 AM
i have 2 sandsifting starts and a tiger tail cucumber and a ton of nassarius snails and i still vacuum out the sandbed every week with the water change. i do a third of it each time.

untamed
04-28-2008, 10:25 PM
I have a sand bed that goes from zero depth to maybe 3" depending on where it gets moved to.

It used to get quite nastly looking, which forced me to vaccuum every now and then.

Since adding the pair of Sleeper Gobies, my sand looks spiffy-clean all the time! No more vaccuuming... I now use that time blowing sand off the corals! Sigh...

Cameron
04-30-2008, 02:04 PM
Would stirring my sandbed cause an increase in nitrates?