Messy Tank w/ Clean Water

My 29 gallon is around 2 months old now and though I'm still accumulating parts and pieces to make it whole, I'm getting rather frustrated with the amount of "mess" left on top of the sand.

General overview of the tank so far:
- 29 gallon 30x12x18
- 2x 65 watt PC (1 x actinic / 1x 10k)
- 10lbs approx LR
- 35+lbs of fine #0 and #1 sand. 1/2 is packaged "live" sand.
- AquaClear 30 running Fluval Opti-carb media
- Fluval 204 Canister w/ spray bar

3x Green Chromis
1x Bi-color blenny
5x Mini Brittle Stars
4x Blue leg reef hermits
5x Cerinth snails
4x Turban sails
6x Ninja..er..nassarius snails
1x Feather Duster worm
1x Hitch hiker pistol shrimp (he's oddly a very neat blue)
(R.I.P. the Astrea snail that got eated by the snail from my other post -_- )

1x Toadstool leather
1x GSP**
1x Anthila coral**
Cheato**
Ulva Sea Lettuce**
** Came with my order of the toadstool without my knowing so dun hurt me >_<

Salinity: 1.023
Calcium: 440
Nitrate: 0 or barely registerable even the morning after a heavy feed.
Nitrite:0
Ammonia: 0

On order: Octopus HOB BH-1000 Skimmer. (they were out of stock)
20 gallon sitting under my coffee table waiting for me to make it a sump.

I am going to assume by the locations of most of the mess, that I lack flow into those areas. I am hoping that with the skimmer I'll be able to point enough things in different directions to cover those areas. Otherwise I'll have to invest in a powerhead.
In those same areas I am getting a decent amount of Cyano growing, and that disturbs me.
I will admit I need to seek help for my chronic/compulsive over feeding (the anemone's at work love me to pieces, may even attempt to hug me for it)
Even so its a single cube of frozen food every other day. There is a fair bit left over but the filters suck it up.
I love how on the frozen rotifer box it says "remove any uneaten food, do not over feed!" ... the moment it hits the flow it goes POOF! Into a cloud of dust... and I think to myself "yeah sure... remove how!?"


What can I use to clean up the sand a bit more? It’s getting rather unsightly even though I try to skim the surface of the worst parts with the turkey baster (yes futile effort I know)

 

flow to sand

Ever think about a reverse flow under gravel filter?

Instead of have a normal UGF "sucking water,making sand clean the water"
RUGF "pushes clean water throe the sand"

It may make sediment lift a bit.

IMO,
Mike

 

Oh yeah

More thinking about this.


How bout making a custom made overflow box that goes in to a caniter filled with floss then goes in to the reversed flow under gavel filter.

Kills 2 birds with one stone.

You need to skim+get the stuff off the sand.

 

I have a severe dislike for "under-gravel" filters. I find that the tanks at my work that had those previously were barely able to sustain life. Not to mention the nitrate tests came up a color that the chart didn't even have. (there were a few other factors there, but in general, I find them to be a permanent waste trap)

Would something like that even work with a fine fine grade sand bed? The one I'm imagining in my head would just let 90% of the sand fall through it.

 

I'm so sorry I read that wrong, my brain stopped functioning the moment I hit "under gravel filter".
I've never heard of a reverse flow one before.

 

*places hand on fish tank, raises other hand* I solemnly swear to read all posts thoroughly and not go off when someone mentions methods of filtration that can be associated with alternate sources of nuclear energy.
>_<

 

i think the rugf, would still be a bad move as it will still trap detritus under the sand.
like you said a skimmer would make a difference. more flow would make a difference.

other then that there is nothing besides siphoning it out with a airline hose, feeding less, or detrivores

 

What would be some good ones? (detrivores)
I do have a lot of open sand area right now, but thats not going to last for ever.
The most effective one at my work is a horseshoe crab. however I also understand they are not always a wise choice (especially in my tanks case)
cukes or slugs process a lot but get kinda big, also have an added effect of death to your tank if they die, my tank and my knowledge are still too young to risk that.
My nassarius snails that I do have spend very little time under the sand, and spend most of their time cruzing the walls and passing by the dead spots. they seem to avoid whats actually there and only really want to eat actual food. looks like "dust bunnies" O-o
my peppermint shrimp arrives today, he'll help with the left over food issue and with any luck; have a taste for baby glass anemones.
Well off to work, and I'll see what else I can add today. ^_^