How do you do it?

I was wondering if anyone could help me figure out how to keep my sand cleaner.I have an engineer goby and a diamond goby.They both seem to do a good job before but the diamond doesn't seem to sift as much as before.How do you keep your sand clean looking?Thanks in advance.
Daniel

 

Hi Daniel

whats on your sand exactly ? is it general sediment or diatoms, cyno etc

I keep mine relatively clean by syphoning over the top of any areas near to rock work etc that sediment accumulates. I lose a tablespoon full of sand or so each week doing this. I know some people keep spare sand to replace any they lose doing this

if the problem is red cyno or some other algae type, then increased flow may help, nit so much that the sand bed gets blown about, but just enough to prevent stuff settling there and creating fuel for problem algaes etc

Steve

 

I'm thinking it's a mix of cyno and diatoms.I know I have been over feeding for about a month because my yellow tang isn't looking so good.I've been trying different foods to hopefully fatten him back up.I increased my water changes, expanded my fuge, and bought a much larger skimmer that seems to be really pulling a lot of crap out of the water.

 

Any input from the late morning crowd?

 

Any info from the night owls?

 

ha plenty... how bigs the tank?

 

150 gallons/about 150 to 175 lbs of live rock,and about a 3 inch sand bed.

 

few questions.
1. how old is the setup? sounds like you've had it awhile but not sure
2. what kind of CUC (clean up crew) do you have?
3. Do you have a sump? refugium? Skimmer?
4. What are your exact water parameters for the following
a. Ammonia
b. Nitrite
c. Nitrate
d. Phosphate
e. PH
f. Salinity
g. calcium
h. Magnesium
i. Alk/DKH

a pic would also be helpful.

 

you could add a cucumber or a sand sifting starfish... i dont like starfish in some cases though

 

1. how old is the setup?
This tank has been setup for about almost 2 years.I used about 80 lbs of sand from my 65 gallon reef before I upgraded to 150.(I know now I shouldn't have done that)I also added about another 80 lbs of new live sand to that after setup.
2. what kind of CUC (clean up crew) do you have?
4-large mexican turbos,5-blue leg hermits,15-nassarius snails,and about 20 nerite snails.Oh yeah and 1 trochus snail
3. Do you have a sump? refugium? Skimmer?
I have a 20 gallon sump that houses my NEW sea life 200 impact skimmer.My refugium is feed off of my sump via small pump.
4. What are your exact water parameters for the following
a. Ammonia
0
b. Nitrite
0
c. Nitrate
0
d. Phosphate
0
e. PH
Didn't test yesterday
f. Salinity
1.024
g. calcium
445
h. Magnesium
1380
i. DKH
10.4
I will have to get a pic tomorrow.
Thanks,Daniel