UnderwaterWorld
Reef enthusiast
I'm not sure if I should be doing it, I haven't been though.
How do I?
Thanks :)
How do I?
Thanks :)
Cleaning Gravel?
- Thread starter UnderwaterWorld
- Start date
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
You shouldn't need to do a whole lot if you got some critters to stir it up and eat the leftover food.
If you have a DSB, then definetely don't disturb it below about 1" or 1.5" at the most.
If you have a DSB, then definetely don't disturb it below about 1" or 1.5" at the most.
UnderwaterWorld
Reef enthusiast
ok well I have a brittle starfish
hermits
and snails
hermits
and snails
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
IMO, hermits don't do much for your sandbed. They may eat surface food, but they won't dig down in there in search of food.
You need a sand sifting goby. I have the Diamond Watchman goby. He scoops up sand in his mouth and filters it out through his gills.
I also have 2 nassarius snails. I may get one more. Not sure. They actually burrow down into the sand and come out to eat when they smell food. They have an excellent sense of smell and practically burst from the depths of the sand when they smell anything edible. Perfect sand stirring snail.
An astrea or margarite snail won't go near the sand if they can help it. Mine rarely are seen in the sand bed. They stay stuck to the glass and on the rocks 99% of the time. Put one in the sand and it will make a beeline for the glass or a rock most of the time. Very poor choice for a sand sifter. They don't spend any time in the sand unless they have too. Certainly won't burrow down into it.
If your aquarium is very well established, I think you can put a sand sifting star in there. I was going to do this later on when my tank is more established. Then I learned how big they can get. I decided not to get a sand sifting star for my 30g tank. I'll save that for when I get a larger tank.
How deep is your sand bed? If it's only 1", then just take a gravel vac to it when you do your water changes.
You need a sand sifting goby. I have the Diamond Watchman goby. He scoops up sand in his mouth and filters it out through his gills.
I also have 2 nassarius snails. I may get one more. Not sure. They actually burrow down into the sand and come out to eat when they smell food. They have an excellent sense of smell and practically burst from the depths of the sand when they smell anything edible. Perfect sand stirring snail.
An astrea or margarite snail won't go near the sand if they can help it. Mine rarely are seen in the sand bed. They stay stuck to the glass and on the rocks 99% of the time. Put one in the sand and it will make a beeline for the glass or a rock most of the time. Very poor choice for a sand sifter. They don't spend any time in the sand unless they have too. Certainly won't burrow down into it.
If your aquarium is very well established, I think you can put a sand sifting star in there. I was going to do this later on when my tank is more established. Then I learned how big they can get. I decided not to get a sand sifting star for my 30g tank. I'll save that for when I get a larger tank.
How deep is your sand bed? If it's only 1", then just take a gravel vac to it when you do your water changes.
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Bifferwine
I am a girl
I wouldn't mess with the sand bed. The trick is, like RC said, to get a good enough cleaner crew that they will take care of it. Nassarius snails are the best.
UnderwaterWorld
Reef enthusiast
alright for my 12 gallon how many should I get? a couple?
MikMcgyver
Vlamingi owner 4 life!
I have 2 in mine... anymore and they would prolly starve
UnderwaterWorld
Reef enthusiast
alright thanks!
hotimportknight
New! Big Tank Club!
Oh, at first I saw when you said anymore than 2 would probably starve, then I saw you were referring to a 12g. Cause I just picked up like 12 more today ontop of the 5 I have. They are doing a good job so far, they really clean the substrate up well. At night I've noticed they appear once the lights go off for the night and start up the glass and come more into the open. They are really a cool little snail!
Doc
I don't work for anybody
you got some good advice. For a bigger tank, you can clean the gravel a bit. I do my 125 about every two weeks, just to get rid of the crap. I am not touching the sand in my 90. I like the sifting stars, myself, and will grab one for the 90 to keep the sand clean. I would not get a sand star in a tank smaller than a 55 tho.
-Dr Marco :sfish:
-Dr Marco :sfish:
Piggy
Reef enthusiast
I have about 50 of them snails in my tank. Not sure how many the hermits ate.
fishbait
I found Nemo
wow! I feel like my tank is snail challenged. I only have 10 snails total. not counting the teeny tiny baby nerites that have breed in the last month or two.
Piggy
Reef enthusiast
They are under the sand most of the time. The only time I see a lot of them is feeding time.
Rcpilot
Reef enthusiast
My nessarius snails looke like those sand worms (from the movie Dune) as soon as the smell food. They practically jump out of the sand and start moving around in search of food. I saw one of them snag a small clump of food yesterday. It just snatched the food and started chowing down. Took him about 15 minutes to engulf a wad of brine shrimp about 1/4 the size of a pea. :helm2:
simpleman
Reefing newb
I have an engineer goby (not really a goby) in my tank, and he really stirs up the sand. Every day there is a pile of sand in a different spot. If you get one, make sure rocks are all the way on the bottom glass because they can cause structures(rocks) to fall over by shifting the sand.
Piggy
Reef enthusiast
Bet that's how he got his name. I'll have to research them.
simpleman
Reefing newb
Yea he's really cool and hardy (ie; low maintenance). Plus the nassarius snails are really cool. I have 1 thinking about a couple more.
