Vacuuming a sand bed or not That is my question

[Masonjames]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

Here is a pic of 50g water siphoned to remove a third of my 1.5" sand bed after 3 years.

Ewe!

We should ask that pail full of crap wether it thinks we should be maintaining our sand beds. That ecosystem looks so biologically diverse that I wouldn't be surprised if it actually could answer back.

[randallino]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

I would do the same if some idiot hadn't put egg crate across the bottom of my tank!

+1

[Masonjames]

IMO sand is just a toilet you can't flush. Eventually (even years) that toilet is gonna fill up to the brim. Want the aesthetics of a sand bed, then start bucketing all that s*** out on a regular basis. Sand beds should be maintained and cleaned religiously IMO which is hard to do a good job of with live rock, coral,etc in the way. Never mind when that toilet bowl starts to fill up the the brim it will eventually start to wick all it's yummies into all that pretty live rock you got sitting on top of it. Sand has one purpose and one purpose only in a tank, aesthetics. It offers nothing more to the health of the system. And gives the user a false sense of security that they don't need to be removing the debris that builds up and that somehow that sand bed indefinitely process all that s*** for them. So IMO if you want to look at a pretty sand bed and not a pane of glass then it needs to be maintained.

[pinkreef]

my candycane pistol shrimp would hate me if I took it out

[jorjef]

Originally Posted by pinkreef

my candycane pistol shrimp would hate me if I took it out

I have a Melanurus wrasse that for a year or two had the comfort of a sand bed. After I went bare bottom he adapted. I have to admit it freaked me out a couple times when I went down to check things in the morning when the lights are out and found him laying on his side on the bottom.

[Madreefer]

Originally Posted by Masonjames

So IMO if you want to look at a pretty sand bed and not a pane of glass then it needs to be maintained.

With sufficient flow and livestock to clean the sand that's maintenance right there.