snadbed cleaner

[Kengaroo131]

what can i get to mix up my sandbed a little. theres always aglae growing on it. is there anything i can get to mix up the bed a bit?

 

[rhino509]

there are many sand sifting animals you can get,depending on what other animals you have in the tank.there are wrasses,gobies,stars,and others that will keep the sand cleaned/turned over.

 

[Kengaroo131]

sweet. im limmited though cause its only a 10 gallon so i guess i'll have to look around. thanks for the info.

 

[virginiadiver69]

Please stay away from sand sifting stars. Your tank is not big enough and it will soon starve.

 

[rhino509]

virginiadiver69,good point,i wasnt even thinking about that.then i would problably get something that will eat prepared foods also.i have 2 twospot gobies that dont touch prepared foods whatsoever.

 

[marduc]

nassarius snails are another option to research.

 

[Lotus99]

You could try nassarius or cerith snails.

 

[Kengaroo131]

i have about 5 sanils in there but theres only one problem for some reason they dont touch the sand haha they stay on the rocks and glass.

 

[lakwriter]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9724484#post9724484 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lotus99
You could try nassarius or cerith snails.

ditto...

 

[rhino509]

what do you have as far as flow? adding a powerhead or 2 can help this a bit.

 

[Kengaroo131]

i'v got a small power head i got from the fission skimmer that was useless haha and i have a whisper 20 on there theres a good amount of flow water is always curculating

 

[rhino509]

how often do you change the filter?

 

[petoonia]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9724535#post9724535 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mariner908
i have about 5 sanils in there but theres only one problem for some reason they dont touch the sand haha they stay on the rocks and glass.

You have to get nassarius snails, they will burrow down into the sand.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/208429/product.web

 

[Kengaroo131]

ok i'll give them a try

 

[romunov]

With 10 gallons, you're pretty limited in your options. Nassarius snails will eat carrion, not algae. Try ceriths.

The Grazing Snails, Part I - Turbo, Trochus, Astraea, and Kin
The Grazing Snails, Part II - Abalones, Limpets and Nerites
The Grazing Snails, Part III - Conchs, Ceriths, Cowries, and Columbellids

 

[andrewr]

or a conch, they will eat algae

 

[Kengaroo131]

conches are pretty neat i just have to get my LFS to get some in haha

 

[marduc]

Don't get a conch for that small of a tank. They need a lot of sand to roam and burrow in, and it would starve in short order.

The nassarius will help the algea problem, despite not eating it directly, by eatingthe detritus it takes up excess nutrients that would fuel the algea had it been left intact, not a complete solution, just an assost. Of course none of the "what eats item x" solutions are completely effective, they are just helping hands.

 

[Sk8r]

A yellow watchman goby will help---not as active as a diamond, but definitely cleans sand, and will take sinking pellets when sand is too clean to support him.

 

[Kengaroo131]

i dont think i'll have to worry about the sand being to clean haha.