Keeping clean Sand

[adpgibso]

What is the best way to keep your sand clean and white? In my older tank it is mostly light green...looks terrible.

I've read starfish will solve this???

 

[clown2be]

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1133

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=712

This is what I use.

 

[bertoni]

How big is the tank in question?

The animals listed are fine, but your tank might be a bit small for a cucumber.

 

[dchao]

Siphon out the top layer and replace with new sand.

 

[hopper]

Also might want to consider a Queen Conch or maybe the Fighting Conch. I have a queen and she is constantly roaming the sandbed looking for something to snack on.

 

[Zoalander]

nassarius snails<------------work great.

 

[dchao]

If you really want snails, Cerith is a much better choice than Nassa. My Cerith will bulldoze over my sand bed, where as the Nassa. just pop in and out of the sand bed once a while, and doesn't really trying to turn over the sand.

 

[adpgibso]

the tank that i was talking about that is light green is a 29.

just set up a 55 a couple of months ago and stocking it slowly now, just seeing what I should put in there...

so a conch and snails then? do star fish help at all?

 

[AquaReeferMan]

You can try a sand sifting star they are nice and helpful at removing detritus. Here is a link. HTH

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=572

 

[supertech3]

I have fighting conchs and large nassarius snails and they do an excellent job of stirring it up.

 

[markandkristen]

i think a fighting conchs would be overkill for a 29. ive read 100 plus gallons but dont quote me on this

.... great thread adpgibso
i am partially dealing with the same thing and looking to get more snails i only have around 15 ina 90 looking to up that to 50-75 snails

 

[bertoni]

Fighting conchs grow too large for a 29g tank. The sandsifting stars tend to starve after a year or so. 2-3 Nassarius vibex and some cerith snails might be a good place to start, although the N. vibex don't do much stirring, IME. They will eat leftover food.

 

[ravenr]

agreed with the sea star...Its a great cleaner for the sand.
He is very active, and move in and out of my rocks without a problem...

 

[Teremei]

sand sifting stars eat the benificial critters in your sand ONLY! The only things they are "cleaning" are the liveforms that help to make the sand bed function. The reason you have a sandbed in the first place. If they appear to be helping with the algae they are only pushing it around and it will appear again soon.

The ONLY things that I find that are good for green (and I used to have the exact same stuff). .

Feed a little less
Skim a little more
water change a little more
increase your flow

And as far as critters. .
Fighting conch (55 gallon minimum)
Cerith snails (the black ones)
Cucumber

 

[adpgibso]

yeah right now there is no powerheads in my 29...would that be promoting it more?

 

[bertoni]

I use 2-3 powerheads in my 29g tanks. A Maxi-Jet 900 or 600 is a good size, IMO, depending on the animals that you want to keep. Low circulation could be part of the reason for the algal growth on the sand.