Do you touch your sand bed ???

EpicWin · Mar 12, 2013

Coral magazine had an article a while back discussing this very topic the short of it was any sandsifters including nassarians are bad. It said disturb the sand bed as little as possible.

Liquid360 · Mar 12, 2013

I'm fine with it but don't like it when others touch my "sand bed".

Rikerbear · Mar 12, 2013

The critters stir mine up some and I vacuum and sift the top layer myself every week during water changes....at least the parts of it I can get to.
My sand bed is about 1.5" in back and sides and 2" in front.
I recently moved my tank (twice in 9 days) and the sand bed was distrurbed A LOT. Have not noticed any adverse reactions....yet

revhtree · Mar 12, 2013

I don't touch mine enough!

BENT STIX · Mar 12, 2013

My diamond goby and orange shoulder tang move my sand plenty. Always clean, always changing.

Sent from my ball and chain.
120g reef
40g (down at the moment)
8g nano sexy shrimp tank

Liquid360 · Mar 12, 2013

I've spent a great deal of time observing my diamond gobys consumption of sand. I myself have tried it once, minus the expulsion of the sand out of my gills. This has left me with a few questions concerning this activity. Thus far he's been not at all forthcoming.

BENT STIX said:
My diamond goby and orange shoulder tang move my sand plenty. Always clean, always changing.

Sent from my ball and chain.
120g reef
40g (down at the moment)
8g nano sexy shrimp tank

fragmatic · Mar 12, 2013

I'd just as soon leave my sand bed alone, it is like a teenager, if you wake it .. it causes havoc....and clouds the waters.

GHill762 · Mar 12, 2013

Mine gets stirred regularly either by me, fish, or cuc. But my bed is also one inch or less. Obviously a dsb shouldn't be disturbed..

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Liquid360 · Mar 12, 2013

I believe this depends on the type of sand, grit, and depth.

PaulKreider · Mar 13, 2013

When i siphon i get into the sand bed if it looks dirty, i have about 1 1/2- 2inches deep and i got about halfway down, I personally think it helps, especially when avoiding a algae bloom.

jasonp87 · Mar 14, 2013

I usually don't touch the sand bed and instead try to have something in my tank that will take care of it like certain snails or gobies. They clean it naturally and can avoid the big mess I usually end up making.

7FootReefer · Mar 14, 2013

I never touch my sandbed, but i have a rather large clean up crew so they take care of the sandbed pretty well. I haven't experienced any problems so far, and my sand bed is almost always clean.

tigrtraps · Mar 14, 2013

Absolutely. Every water change I vacuum up a small portion of the sand. Most of it stays in the tank, some of it comes out. In awhile I'll put in new sand and even it back out. The sand is a phosphate sink and that is why I believe it has to be removed. I haven't found any critters that will eat up my phosphates.

shellynjason · Mar 14, 2013

Like 'tigrtraps' I vacuum mine during water changes, once a week. I do this in different areas each week - not the whole bed each week. Just don't want any toxic build up in there and it is not a DSB. Guess the brissleworms help keep it clean too.