To disturb the sand bed or not disturb it

[xxmindgamesxx]

Im honestly lost inbetween whither i should vacuum it or not. Im hoping to hear your opinions on this matter and what you think is right and why. Thank you

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[mcgyvr]

deja vu..
This type of question has been beaten to death over and over just about monthly here
Cliff notes = there is no proven "right way"..

 

[homer1475]

Basically, if you do it, keep doing it. If you don't, then leave it be. No right or wrong way to it.

 

[RobZilla04]

This has been brought up at least once a day for the past few weeks.

Try pressing the "Search" button, key word "vacuum".

~Mind, blown

 

[j.falk]

Im honestly lost inbetween whither i should vacuum it or not. Im hoping to hear your opinions on this matter and what you think is right and why. Thank you

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If you don't want to vacuum...why not try a clean up crew to burrow in and help keep your sand bed clean?

Personally, I do vacuum because in my mind it helps remove any uneaten food / fish waste that may be laying in the sand bed rotting and polluting the tank. But to each their own.

 

[xxmindgamesxx]

If you don't want to vacuum...why not try a clean up crew to burrow in and help keep your sand bed clean?

Personally, I do vacuum because in my mind it helps remove any uneaten food / fish waste that may be laying in the sand bed rotting and polluting the tank. But to each their own.

Yeah thats what im leaning towards

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[Rover88]

Basically, if you do it, keep doing it. If you don't, then leave it be. No right or wrong way to it.

This.

Don't start if you haven't been. Don't stop if you have been.

 

[MrHyde]

For those that don't touch their sand bed do any of you run GFO, GAC, Carbon Dose, have a Refugium or an ATS? If you really want to know how healthy that untouched sand bed is couldn't you just start taking these offline for a couple months or so and see what happens? You might be turning a blind eye here.

 

[donsods]

I personally don’t like to vacuum because I like the critters. Gerald at IPSF had a video series on Nano Lagoons that recommends stirring a shallow sand bed with a stick right before a water change. Another approach is to vacuum a portion of the sand bed on water change days on a rotation basis. Not sure where I got that idea — but I know it wasn’t an original one.

 

[xxmindgamesxx]

I personally don't like to vacuum because I like the critters. Gerald at IPSF had a video series on Nano Lagoons that recommends stirring a shallow sand bed with a stick right before a water change. Another approach is to vacuum a portion of the sand bed on water change days on a rotation basis. Not sure where I got that idea "” but I know it wasn't an original one.

So When i do vacuum the sand bed i risk vacuuming critters? Oh that sucks

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[Uncle99]

I put a screen between each of two 3" substrates.
Vacuum the top, but the screen prevents disturbing the bottom.

 

[xxmindgamesxx]

I put a screen between each of two 3" substrates.
Vacuum the top, but the screen prevents disturbing the bottom.

Intresting

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[Rover88]

For those that don't touch their sand bed do any of you run GFO, GAC, Carbon Dose, have a Refugium or an ATS? If you really want to know how healthy that untouched sand bed is couldn't you just start taking these offline for a couple months or so and see what happens? You might be turning a blind eye here.

I run GAC and nothing else really. No refugium. Only dose alk.

 

[xxmindgamesxx]

I run GAC and nothing else really. No refugium. Only dose alk.

Whats gac? Never heard of it before.

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[homer1475]

GAC = granulated activated carbon.

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[xxmindgamesxx]

GAC = granulated activated carbon.

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Oh okay thx

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[top shelf]

As mentioned it's more of a personal choice and I believe comes down to the individual tank as no 2 tanks are alike. Some never do it and have no issues and I've heard some mention if they dont they have outbreaks. Each side has there own vaild points to why they do or don't so I think you'd be best of to just right down the pros and cons to both and make your own educated decision.

All that being said I personally don't vacuum my sand and have no issues in the main display but have a bit of hair algae in my sump but I feel that's a good place for it. Tank has been running for 7 months so maybe still to new to tell. I utilize chaeto and that's it.

 

[rjjr1963]

I like a very clean looking sandbed so I siphon regularly. I think it's just personal preference and the look you're after.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

A quick reference when it comes to sand beds is if it's pushing 3 inches deep or more I would not disturb it.

There's a lot of nitrifying and denitrifying activities going on down there. if you disturb this process you can release H2S and S04 that can cause enough of a problem in your tank that it can kill off all inhabitants.

If it's under 3 inches then the preference is yours.

 

[ramseynb]

A quick reference when it comes to sand beds is if it's pushing 3 inches deep or more I would not disturb it.

There's a lot of nitrifying and denitrifying activities going on down there. if you disturb this process you can release H2S and S04 that can cause enough of a problem in your tank that it can kill off all inhabitants.

If it's under 3 inches then the preference is yours.

I had nothing but problems when I had a sand bed of more than an inch. I didn't vacuum it but it wasn't a deep sand bed either (6" or more). IMHO, either use an inch or so of sand or research DSBs to use for denitrification. Don't go in between.

With that said, I've had the best success LIGHTLY siphoning my sand bed. I'll lightly disturb it with all pumps off and detritus will settle on top, then I lightly siphon off the detritus. I'll occasionally siphon up some sand too and slowly replace it when it gets too low. There are critters in my sand bed that aggressive siphoning would suck up like spaghetti worms and other small worms.

I've also had a shallow sand bed that I didn't disturb and I didn't really have any issues but when I broke the tank down, there was A LOT of detritus in it. It made me wonder if I was building a ticking time bomb which is why I started siphoning/stirring it.

As others have said though, this is one area where you'll get a lot of different opinions and there's no right answer. I would say experiment and see what works for you.