Best Sand Cleaners?

[FSOL]

Hey guys,

It seems no matter how many hermits I buy to clean my sand, they don't do jack. I buy dozens of them and a week later can't find any (or most are dead).
My turbo snails never stick on the sandbed. They're always on rock or glass.

Currently the only thing doing decent job of cleaning sand are my two conch's.

What would you recommend as a good sand cleaner for a 180 gallon tank. I don't want any sifters though. I want to keep my pod population blooming.

Thanks

 

[OnTheReef]

Well, dedicated detritus eaters are hard to come by; most things that sift sand eat what's in the sand and there go your pods. I use sandsifting stars and keep the tank supplied with pods from my refugium, which has a large rubble pile that I feed DT's about twice a week. The pod population is booming, both in the sump and in the tanks. Some sea cucumbers are dedicated detritus eaters, but so many of them are toxic and they are so often misidentified by LFSs that I am really paranoid of them. A sea cucumber was responsible for my first wipe-out. :sad2:

You also really should find out why you can't seem to keep many hermits around? Is something eating them or are they dying from some sort of water issue? If they don't have enough to eat from their cleanup job, I suggest Hikari Crab Cuisine

 

[FSOL]

I keep finding empty hermit shells around, and I do think there's plenty to eat. I have a 6'x2'x2' tank (180 gallons), so there's always fish leftovers to eat and clean. Those that are alive are always on the rocks. The only cleaners that stay on the sand are my conch's. I think I'll go buy more conch's, but don't know what's a good limit for this size tank.

 

[aquaconnect]

I have a 180 and I had that problem, then purchased 4 sea cucumbers and no longer have that problem. That's what I'd recommend!