Dirty sand bed?

[Bobby417919]

What the subject says, I have a dirty sand bed. Some algae and some kind of fine dirt like stuff. The glass and rocks are clean. I have 4 Astraea snails and 1 hermit crab. I clean the algae off the glass once a week. The snails clean the returns and overflow box.

So my question is what if anything can I get to clean the sand bed? Some algae growth is starting and I don’t want it to get out of control.

Robert,

 

[alan214]

Do you ever try to siphon the detritus off the sand during water changes? I realize that takes a small amount of sand with it but may be necessary until you get this under control.

 

[petoonia]

I agree with siphoning it off until you get it under control. Then I would add about 5 nassarius snails, a few more snails (banded trochus are great), and some more hermits. You could also try a serpent or brittle star (just not a green one). These will help keep the top layer of the sand bed stirred and clean.

 

[boxfishpooalot]

I think your over feeding and your sandbed is working just fine. Or you have too many fish and not enough export.

 

[mburnickas]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9237380#post9237380 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by petoonia
You could also try a serpent or brittle star (just not a green one). These will help keep the top layer of the sand bed stirred and clean.

I thought stars are bad for sand beds?

 

[alan214]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9238206#post9238206 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mburnickas
I thought stars are bad for sand beds?

That's what most of the experts on here (not me) say. A single SS Star supposedly will deplete all the live in a sandbed. I've had mine for a couple of years now with no issues but I'm being told he is slowly starving to death. I will not replace him when/if he dies.

 

[unclereefer]

I siphon my sand bed and barely lose any sand at all. if you tilt your siphon at an angle and pull it up and away from the sand as it fills up, the sand falls back out of it.

 

[brc0488]

yea ive also had 1 sand sifting star fish for two years now in a 55 he seems to be doing just fine

 

[rustybucket145]

I would suggest some blue legg hermits. I had the same issue as you a few years back. I added the hermits and almost overnight the tank started looking better. Within a week they had eaten all the 'crud' on the bottom of the tank as well as a couple of spots of hair algae.

 

[floridagator]

a goby will take care of your sand problem

 

[Bobby417919]

I know my cleanup crew is under staffed. So I think I am going to get some more hermits anda few Nassarius snails, and possibly a sand sifting Star fish.

 

[petoonia]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9238206#post9238206 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mburnickas
I thought stars are bad for sand beds?

Im not referring to a sand sifting star. Im referring to a serpent or brittle star. There's a big difference. The sand sifters burrow into the sand bed and eat all if the micro life in it. Serpent or brittles stay on top of the sand bed. The serpents or brittles will eat leftover food, and they help move around the top layer of sand.

Sand sifting star fish need a larger sand bed to stay alive. Some people keep them with successs, while others just wither away. A 29g seems a little small to support one.

You might want to try a sand sifting goby. Im hoping to get one soon. Alot of people say the gobies keep there sand bed looking really clean.

 

[kaihonu82]

yea, I have a goby. he does a terrific job of stirring up/turning the sand.

 

[Bobby417919]

Is this the Goby you are referring to?

Link

 

[kaihonu82]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=220

diamond goby

i guess this is a more representative picture: http://www.fishtanksandponds.info/images/raw-images/marine/diamondgoby.jpg

 

[HippieSmell]

Add some more flow. I've got ~5,000 gph flow in my 120 gallon, which constantly sweeps my sand clean.

 

[jimsta]

Twin Spot gobies don't usually have a very long survival rate in tanks. Possibly in a few very large tanks there might be success or if they are weaned onto prepared food. The average one will usually die within a year though. And yes I know that someone out there has probably had one for 5 years but it is a rare case.

 

[benray4fun]

I have a diamond goby and it's way better than the yellow headed goby. The diamond stays on the sand as it sifts, unlike other gobies that make a mess and throw sand all over rocks, corals and anything else as it swims by munching away on the sand.