Best way to keep my substate clean?

[CoralReefer1019]

What’s the best way to keep my substate clean? And free of detritus and organic matter?

With my rock work it’s tough to vacuum and siphon gravel with corals on substate. I dose Vibrant once a week for algae etc. but it’s not keeping my substate very clean.

I wanted to try Microbacter Clean or some sort of liquid product. Or maybe a fighting conch? I do have turbo, nerite and some nassirus. Maybe a sand sifting star?

40 Breeder
HOB (filter pad and matrix bio)
2 AI Prime HD
Heater
Gyre
2 clownfish
1 Talbot Damsel

 

[Spare time]

A sand sifting star would do the trick. Conchs are great. A bullet goby would help a little. Dr. Tims Waste away is supposed to help with that but I am not sure how different the vibrant bacteria are (I believe waste away, vibrant, and micro bacter clean are all similar). Copepods could help too with general cleaning of small scraps

 

[jda]

How deep is it? What is is made out of - grain size? All of this will matter.

For the most part, you let it be and the microfauna (pods, stars, worms, etc.) that came on your live rock will take care of all of it. If you started with dead/dry rock, then you probably do not have this fauna and might need to buy some from Indo Pacific Sea Farms, or the like. Bacteria is not enough.

 

[sde1500]

I'm not sure a 40g would be large enough to support a star. I can say for my 65 I never touch the sand, I let the conchs do it. I had two, now down to one but the sand is very clean all the time. They do an excellent job of it.

 

[New&no clue]

I have a Diamond goby in my 75 and my sand is always white, however, he makes a big mess moving sand all over the place. In my 30 I have a tiger shrimp, it also keeps the sand clean, and I don't see as much as a mess from him.

 

[CoralReefer1019]

will try and conch and shrimp, do pistol shrimps break glass?

 

[New&no clue]

do pistol shrimps break glass?

I hope not!

 

[DeniseAndy]

Too small for most of the sand sifters. Maybe a hector's goby would help. I would stick with a combination of the conch, cerith snails, and nassarius snails. Getting the right number does wonders.

 

[Spare time]

will try and conch and shrimp, do pistol shrimps break glass?

No but they will not clean your sand. They simply move around a tiny portion for their tunnel and its a good idea to have a watchman goby with them.