Automatic sand stir idea.

[Kershaw]

So I have been thinking about the danger of gases that can reside in a sand bed. Has anyone ever thought about running ro/di tubbing on bottom of tank with a ton of tiny holes. Cover with sand. Use a small pump to come on at night for a few minutes to gently turn sand. Is this a good idea or bad? My tank is set up so I won't be doing this. Just thinking for future.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

reverse under gravel filter.

 

[Kershaw]

Under gravel uses air right? Do see this being beneficial?

 

[reefwiser]

Would be a lot better to just buy a gobbie that does this as part of the natural search for food. You will be added more complexity which means more chances of something failing and causing problems. In this case you could get a back siphon going drain the tank.

 

[Kershaw]

True didn't think of a back siphon. The thought had crossed my mind. I have tried 2 gobys in current system. They don't seem to like living in my tank.

 

[reefwiser]

Most likely not enough organics in your sand bed. Add copepods great for cleaning and natural fish food.

 

[Kershaw]

Double post

 

[Kershaw]

Tripple post

 

[Kershaw]

Well my thought process. Was if you start a new tank with new sand using said idea. Gently stirs sand once a day. Mainly to prevent dangerous gasses. I have tried diamond gobys 3 times they all have died. 1 jumped out. Now I have a mesh lid. Other two died with in 24hours. I drip acclimate like all other fish I have. Just can't seem to keep those alive. Like I said I don't plan on having a new tank anytime soon just an idea I had.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

yea I just havent seen or read enough bad sand probs to consider it a problem. I had a dsb kinda by accident/design when I knew almost nothing. from my 20g to my 30g. 4 years total 3 in the 30 gal.
My recommendation is really if you dont know DSB, dont. Go shallow and vacuum.
dont go in between.
It makes no sense.

When I started and decided on DSB, it was a year of research. And a love of marine bugs and worms, and you REALLY need those in a DSB. no scientific paper or old timer will generaly say different.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

BTW a reverse UG pushes water up through the sand, you have to use much larger grains and crushed coral. Used to be used in conjunction with a remote DSB in larger instalations. It keeps the GUTS out of the tank. Makes a lot of sense when its done correctly. Tank pretty, guts ugly.
was difficult for hobbiests because of the maint and poss failure points and the belief that set it and forget it works.

 

[Kershaw]

Thanks for the input. deep sand beds scare me. I have been thinking out my sand bed to just deep enough for my many wrasses

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Thanks for the input. deep sand beds scare me. I have been thinking out my sand bed to just deep enough for my many wrasses

No sweat.
I suppose 20 years ago shallow sandbeds would have scared us too.
Again IMO, you have a good plan as far as your wrasses go and if your concerned get sand sifters and star fish. dont be afraid to vaccume and stir your sand. the more you do it he less junk there will be in it.
if you kept you sand clean enough(daily) you sand sifting star would starve but the strength of your cycle would not falter. Id bet No Po would stabilize too.

that actually is the theory behind a reverse under gravel filter. it constantly blows the gunk out, into the skimmer or filters.

 

[TheHarold]

Sand sifting star + Nassarius snails= very clean sand bed

 

[Kershaw]

Sand sifting star + Nassarius snails= very clean sand bed

I have those. But do they prevent dangerous gas?

 

[TheHarold]

I have those. But do they prevent dangerous gas?

My sand is clear down to the bottom, is that what you mean?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

he means hydrogen sulfide. produced when bacteria are trapped in low or no oxygen environments.

 

[Kershaw]

Like I said I don't really have a problem yet. My sand is clean most of time. Every now and then I get a little bloom that turns some of my sand brown. But I just keep doin my nutrient export and it goes away. I like the idea of the bennifits of a deep sand bed. My sand is in the middle ground. I have some glass showing in the front corner from the flow in my tank then it goes up to about 4 or 5 inches. So I have been sucking the sand in the high spots off till I get closer 2-3 inch

 

[MJC]

Every thing pops adding more animals that poop is not a answer.