cleaning display into fuge?

Discussion in 'Refugium' started by BluePhish, Jul 2, 2008.

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  1. BluePhish

    BluePhish Teardrop Maxima Clam

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
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    Location:
    Buffalo N.Y.
    i got a new fuge about a week old, my display has a little more sand in it than id like and its got some crud build up in some spots, along with a lil cyano in some slow spots. cant i just syphon up some sand and the stuff that collects on the sand strait into the fuge. for teh little critters to eat. then i wont have to make up new water just to clean the sand every once in a while.

    isnt that the point of the fuge its like the waste disposal?
     
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  3. Bogie

    Bogie Snowflake Eel

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    Especially if there's cyan0, I'd siphon the top off the sand, the crud, the cyano into a bucket. Dump most of the water out. Swirl/stir the bucket and dump the floating stuff down the drain. Add a little more water, swirl, and dump it again. The sand will settle out and the crud and cyano will float up and get dumped. After a number of times, you'll be left with clean sand. It may not be "live sand" anymore, but at least you'll be lowering nitrates, getting rid of what's feeding the cyano, and getting rid of the cyano that's there. You can dump the clean sand back on top of your sand bed. Since it's rinsed, it will settle quickly, and shouldn't cloud the tank at all. It works for me.
    Not sure if the critters in the fuge will eat the detritus anyway. I think just basically bristle worms eat the fish poo, not sure if corals would benefit or not. The left over stuff you don't siphon out will probably be broken down by the bacteria in the live sand.
     
  4. BluePhish

    BluePhish Teardrop Maxima Clam

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    Location:
    Buffalo N.Y.
    ahh i thought amphipods,copepods, ect fed on decaying matter.

    maybe ill just run it threw a filter sock and reuse the water, then clean the sand seperate.

    i dont really have a cyano problem,(anyone with a serious cyano problem would kill me for complaining)

    just want my sand nice looking again.