How to clean a tank with a Nem

[SE7ƎN]

I have a small Nano AIO with only fish and CUC, and a hefty size rock. Usually for my weekly maintenance, I remove the rock so I can gravel vac the tank completely. My next step is to get a BTA, but since it will attach itself to the rock, how can I continue to gravel vac the sand...or, is it best to ditch the sand and go bare bottom? I prefer keeping the sand as most of my Hermit Crabs love to bury themselves in there along with the Nassarius Snail, and it just looks better, but if I can’t remove the rock, I won’t really be able to gravel vac.

Would it be safe to remove the rock with the Nem and either put it in the new water for 15 min while I gravel vac (provided I match the Temp/Salinity/PH)? Or put it in the dirty water that I just removed? Or would it be safe being out of the water in a bucket?

Note: I have the rock currently flipped, since it was growing some algae, but regardless, flipped or not, it still would make gravel vac’ing extremely difficult.

 

[Ludders]

Your substrate will be contributing to your biological filtration and you can forget removing the rock once you have a nem.
If you're determined to get a BTA, I would advise you to churn up the substrate periodically and siphon out the water during weekly maintenance routines, but be consistent, otherwise you can cause nutrient spikes.

 

[SE7ƎN]

Your substrate will be contributing to your biological filtration and you can forget removing the rock once you have a nem.
If you're determined to get a BTA, I would advise you to churn up the substrate periodically and siphon out the water during weekly maintenance routines, but be consistent, otherwise you can cause nutrient spikes.

Awesome. Thanks for the advice.

 

[James M]

I would research bubble tips and make sure your tank has the right requirements to keep one alive. You really shouldn’t be taking out your live rock every water change and placing it back in.

 

[Jon Fishman]

Is that black sand? That, and your algae issues makes me think your tank may not be a good fot for an Anemone right now.

What powerheads and filtration do you use? Those rocks look new.

 

[SE7ƎN]

Is that black sand? That, and your algae issues makes me think your tank may not be a good fot for an Anemone right now.

What powerheads and filtration do you use? Those rocks look new.

Thanks for your feedback. To answer your questions: CaribSea Arag-Alive Hawaiian Black Sand. My algae issue was from running the lights on too long (and guilty of a little over-feeding), and has since been rectified. Tank is still too new (only 2 months old), which is why the rock looks new, and for the record, I’m only doing research and planning for an Anemone now, not getting one anytime soon. It’s why I’m asking questions. Will wait until at least 6 months and make sure everything is stable and within the recommended parameters.

Tank is an 63L or 16.6 gal AIO, so the return pump is what it came with, plus an additional Wave-Maker I added as well. I replaced nearly all the filter floss it came with and added Seachem Matrix Media, active carbon, Seachem Purigen Bag, and additional ceramic rings to fill it all up in the containers. Plus the protein skimmer it came with, but it’s pretty much useless and seems to only aerate the water, since it rarely bubbles up. I don’t think there is enough load for it yet. Water is pH 8.15, zero Ammonia and nitrites, and NO3 is usually around 3-6 ppm after the water-change and then around 10-12.5 ppm just before the water change. I appreciate your help and advice, so thanks again.