vacuuming sand

[Son Of Skyline]

I have a 1/2" to 1" sandbed that I vacuum every couple months when I do a water change. Over the years I've found that this helps get rid of a ton of debris and junk buildup. My sandbed stays "fluffier" and cleaner this way and I never have to worry about unleashing deadly stuff from the sand if i disturb it. I have earthworm like critters that get unearthed when I vacuum but I just let them blow around the tank until they settle and dig themselves back in. IME if your bed is shallow, there's more good to be done by vacuuming than bad. You don't need a sandbed to generate critters. Bare bottom tanks are proof of that.