Cleaning a SSB. Good Idea or Bad

[todd williams]

Reading some old threads about sand beds got me thinking about my SSB in my 220g DT. My first tank years ago had a DSB that I never touched. As was the style of the day. When I set up my new tank 2yrs ago I put two tubs of aragonite in my sump as a RDSB each about 6 inches deep and put about 2" SSB in my DT. I was told to change my DSB tubs one at a time every two years or so to prevent any toxic buildups. Throw the first one out and start fresh. After a month or so throw out the other. That all sounded fine and logical and I am now ready to do the first one as it is now 2yrs old.

Old habits die hard. I have never cleaned my SSB in my DT tank. I know there is lots of silt in there when the bottom gets disturbed but I have never touched it. My water is crystal clear with no significant pest algae problems but I am always looking to improve my husbandry. I have tons of water flow and a great skimmer. I have recently started a pellet reactor.
Should I be siphon cleaning my SSB when I do water changes?? I like sand shifting gobies but have had bad luck with jumpers.
Should I do it all at once, just a part at a time or leave it alone? Any thoughts on this subject greatly appreciated.

 

[scbauer]

Didn't read your post, just the title...

Answer: Good idea. A shallow sand bed is just collecting crap that will lead to poor water chemistry.

I'm actually heading home right now and going to be doing a 20 gallon water change, vaccuming my shallow sand bed in the process.

-Scott

 

[scbauer]

Ok, just read the post... I personally do it all at once.

 

[todd williams]

Do you clean you SSB with every water change or only periodically?

I did a 25gal water change this morning, stormed the reef and cleaned about 80% of the SB.

WOW is all I can say. Tank is all stirred up. Waste water was filthy. Looked like coffee. Certainly not going to get that clean in one go. I"ll wait a week and give it another try. Corals not too happy at the moment but I bet there will be improvement in the next day or so.

 

[rogerrgr]

I found a trick last night cleaning my SSB bed. I got a 200 micron felt filter sock from BRS and put it in my sump. I put the hose from the overflow into the sump into the sock and put the end of the gravel vac hose into the sock. It literally gives you all day to vac the gravel and filters out all the crud. All the stuff that gets stirred up gets filtered through the overflow going throught the sock and all the gravel vac crud gets filtered out through the sock... I left the overflow hose going through the filter sock over night until the water was crystal clear!

 

[scbauer]

I found a trick last night cleaning my SSB bed. I got a 200 micron felt filter sock from BRS and put it in my sump. I put the hose from the overflow into the sump into the sock and put the end of the gravel vac hose into the sock. It literally gives you all day to vac the gravel and filters out all the crud. All the stuff that gets stirred up gets filtered through the overflow going throught the sock and all the gravel vac crud gets filtered out through the sock... I left the overflow hose going through the filter sock over night until the water was crystal clear!

Did you mean "put the end of the gravel vac hose into the overflow"??? I'm having trouble picturing what you're saying.

Also, I (and many people) have a filter sock on the overflow 24x7. They do get dirty fairly quick, though, so you have to change the filter sock every few days.

-Scott

 

[Fishfish0001]

No, into the sock if what I'm imaging it right. The overflow would act as normal, the gavel vac has a long hose that can be run outside of the tank down into the sump, and into the sock. Then all you do is start the siphon, and the vac sucks up the stuff, while the rest of the tank runs normally. It''s basically like cleaning without a water change.

Imaging cleaning the tank, but instead of dumping the waste water, you are just filtering out the junk and returning it to the tank.

 

[plyle02]

I just stir sandbed every few days, let the filter sock catch the crap, then change out the sock a couple hours later once things have settled. You could also take hose and create a siphon, like when doing water change, keep return pump running, I siphon directly into the filter sock, then siphon liverock, stir up sand bed with my hand then siphon cloud down to the sock. Very effective method with barebottom, just be careful not to suck up your sandbed... But to answer your question, the sandbed needs stirring our sifting or removal of waste as it can accumulate quickly and lead to increased nutrients and eventual algaes... GL