Tidying Up...

Sorry for another "newb" questions but if I am going to have somewhat of a deep sand bed (3-4 inches), how often or is it necessary to use something like a Python gravel suction cleaner? I was thinking that it was but didn't know if an occasional stirring of the sand would help mix up some of the detritus and thus get picked up by filter/skimmer.

Also, if I get some snails/hermits, they will help tidy up the surface of the sediment right?

Thanks in advance.


Adam

 

With any sand bed, you need to keep it aireated to prevent it from sticking. You do also need to handle the detritus problem, although little critters living amongst your sand bed will help you in keeping it clean, still not enough though. Consider getting a goby to stir it, a cucumber to clean it or a sand star to keep it stirred. Although the sand star doesn't dig deep, it'll keep the surface stirred. I recommend the tiger tail cucumber as I have one. He's an excellent sand cleaner, always cleaning. The detritivore pink cucumber (not filter feeder) will also do the same job as the tiger tail, although most prefer the tiger-tail. Completely friendly worm, very peaceful and a hard worker.

Holothuria sp.

 

You don't want to use a syphon to clean the gravel as you suck up desireable and beneficial bacteria and other living organisms. What I do with much success is when i'm cleaning the inside glass, I will use my kent feeding baster which is telescopic to stir up the gravel gradually.
The use of cleaner gobies is not such a good investment as they tend to die in short time due to limited food. Also, they make a mess of your substrate if you have corals or clams low or in your substrate.
Hermits are too small to really stir up anything and MOST snails can't move along on sand(ie.Turbos). Possibly position powerheads to increase water flow to substrate area.

 

I have a 4'' DSB. While the turbos generally leave it alone, and the hermits sift through the top quarter-inch, the cerith snails bury up to an inch below the surface and do a really good job keeping the top level stirred. I've heard sand-sifting fish (like gobies) and syphons are bad for DSBs, but maybe I've been drinking out of the Ron Shimek cooler a little too much.

 

Hey Rickzter...thanks for the advice and sorry not to get back to you sooner...weekend's gotten away from me already. Thanks for the suggestions for the cleaning crew. Question bout the tiger-tail cucumber...are they pretty easy to take care of? and will it be ok in a FOWLR tank? Thanks again for the suggestions and I will definintely do some research into them.

Adam

 

Thanks Coralreefer. Glad that you mentioned to me that a gravel cleaner is a "bad" practice. I was thinking that it was considering, although you're cleaning some of the detritus off the bottom, you're also picking up all those organisms and bacteria that have grown over the course of time. I will have to explore other options than cleaner gobies as far as a crew. Thanks again.

Adam

 

Thanks Willieo. Along with checking out the tiger-tail cucumber someone Rickzter suggested above, I will definitely look into some cerith snails. Question: How many snails do you think I should get for a 55 gallon tank? Thanks.

Adam