SaltwaterAdict
New member
Would this be good to keep phos/nitrates in check and how long of periods do you guys go when vaccuming the sandbed week, two weeks, month?
How many people vaccum their shallow sandbed?
- Thread starter SaltwaterAdict
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nolanrob123
Member
I used to vacuum it but noticed I would get outbreaks of brown algae afterwards. I let it be and it cleaned itself up. You are supposed to leave it alone for the most part to allow the organisms to do their thing. Now I just keep a cleanup crew of snails and such and they do a great job. The only thing I have to do now is find a tiny pair hands to pick up some of the rubble after aquascaping in the sandbed.
ryshark
Active member
I haven't touched mine it a couple years and I don't have any sand sifters besides some Nassarius Snails. Now I think that so much detritus built up in the sandbed that I am having cyano issues on the sand only, not on any rocks. My Nitrate is >1 and my phosphate is also very low around .02 and I also have lots of flow. I think the dirty sandbed is leaching nutrients causing cyano to grow on it. I wish I would have implemented a sand stirring routine twice a month or so.
Reef Bass
colors and textures
I have two tanks, both with shallow sandbeds, and I have experimented with leaving sandbeds sit and with stirring them and vacuuming during water changes. In my experience, stirring and vacuuming is vital to the long term health of the tank.
If you haven't been maintaining your sandbed, start slowly and do just a small section (such as 25% of the whole) at a time with like a week in between.
If you haven't been maintaining your sandbed, start slowly and do just a small section (such as 25% of the whole) at a time with like a week in between.
I vacuum as much of my shallow sandbed as I can each time I do a water change (once a month). The water I take out when I do this is opaque brown and has a foul smell to it, so I am convinced that my sandbed is a vital way for me to export nutrients and waste from my tank.
I experimented a few years ago by leaving the sandbed alone for a while, and eventually ended up with cyano and diatom algae blooms. When I keep things vacuumed, I never have these problems and my corals stay healthy and happy.
Just my 2 cents...
I experimented a few years ago by leaving the sandbed alone for a while, and eventually ended up with cyano and diatom algae blooms. When I keep things vacuumed, I never have these problems and my corals stay healthy and happy.
Just my 2 cents...
Vinny Kreyling
Premium Member
If you need a reason to Vacuum the sandbed try this:
Check the PO4 in your tank-
THEN- Vacuum some sand -let the water settle until clear and check PO4 again.
My check showed PO4 over twice the tank water.
Check the PO4 in your tank-
THEN- Vacuum some sand -let the water settle until clear and check PO4 again.
My check showed PO4 over twice the tank water.
Allmost
New member
I have about 100X flow.
once a week, I disturb the shallow sand bed [using a keny scrubber ... ) , and move it around, getting the trapped detritus out, which then gets skimmed out and eaten by corals (or make a turn through sump and back to DT and settle on sand bed again lol ) I usually dose Enzymes and ... right after this, Zeozym and Coral snow.
on alternative weeks when I do water changed, I siphon half the sand bed, or basically the areas where there is dirt.
I find "Wave" that mymp40s make to be "washing" the sand sort of ... and in between rocks.
once a week, I disturb the shallow sand bed [using a keny scrubber ... ) , and move it around, getting the trapped detritus out, which then gets skimmed out and eaten by corals (or make a turn through sump and back to DT and settle on sand bed again lol ) I usually dose Enzymes and ... right after this, Zeozym and Coral snow.
on alternative weeks when I do water changed, I siphon half the sand bed, or basically the areas where there is dirt.
I find "Wave" that mymp40s make to be "washing" the sand sort of ... and in between rocks.
BuckeyeTodd
New member
Sorry for the stupid question, but I've always ran bare bottom and just switched to a SSB, how do you'll vaccum the sand
Allmost
New member
I put the vacuum in the water and suck the air out of the hose to get the siphon going (I find this to be the quickest and easiest way, just avoid getting a mouthful of salt water
. Use a good-sized bucket for the water out-take. Jostle the sandbed with the vacuum, lifting it off the sandbed briefly from time to time to avoid sucking up too much sand. It's easy when you get the hang of it, Cheers
