My tips for a white sand bed

[Viking_Reefing]

Hey guys.
I’m a fairly frequent poster on Instagram and every day I’m asked about how I keep my sand fairly clean. This seems to be a somewhat mythical beast that a lot of people are scratching their heads over.
I figured that I should make a video that I can use as a reference.
I hope this could help some of you guys out as well!

http://Get sparkling white sand in YOUR reef tank - top tips https://youtu.be/fZlTENTRFtU

 

[Reeflix]

thank you! this is something that bugs me alot.

 

[Viking_Reefing]

thank you! this is something that bugs me alot.

Your welcome. I hope you got something out of it

 

[Reeflix]

yup! im a little wary of sifting my sand bed because im doing ich management, do you thimk it would be fine to still do it? also will a diamond watchmen also stir up ich?

 

[Reeflix]

note there is not alot in my tank, only when i add in new fish they get one spot

 

[Viking_Reefing]

yup! im a little wary of sifting my sand bed because im doing ich management, do you thimk it would be fine to still do it? also will a diamond watchmen also stir up ich?

I’d say that’s nothing to worry about. I also do ich management and have done so for 20 years+ and never had any issues.
If anything you would want the cysts to get up in to the water column so it can be filtered out.

Edit: I would vacuum out the crud before starting to stir it if you’ve never cleaned the sand before. There will probably be a bunch of crap that’s accumulated.

 

[Reeflix]

thank you! thats good to know!

 

[RIC13]

Does stirring your sand affect your phosphate readings?

 

[cpalminteri]

I have a deep sand bed that little by little during water changes I’m sucking up some of the sand bed to thin it out. Goal is to get to a point where it’s not super deep. I am afraid of releasing something and removing the fish to do it is not an option. Do you think removing a little at a time once a week is okay or do you think I’ll eventually reach the deep part where gases are held and nuke my tank?

 

[mermaid_life]

I have a deep sand bed that little by little during water changes I’m sucking up some of the sand bed to thin it out. Goal is to get to a point where it’s not super deep. I am afraid of releasing something and removing the fish to do it is not an option. Do you think removing a little at a time once a week is okay or do you think I’ll eventually reach the deep part where gases are held and nuke my tank?

What I would do is go deep in small sections of the tank every week until you cover all the ground. Then routinely turn over the sand bed.

I turkey baste my sand bed weekly, even on weeks that I don't do a water change.

 

[Viking_Reefing]

Does stirring your sand affect your phosphate readings?

I haven’t done any testing just before and after I stir it. However, it might increase them just after but in a longer scale it will help with bringing down po4 as a lot of that crud will be filtered out.

 

[Viking_Reefing]

I have a deep sand bed that little by little during water changes I’m sucking up some of the sand bed to thin it out. Goal is to get to a point where it’s not super deep. I am afraid of releasing something and removing the fish to do it is not an option. Do you think removing a little at a time once a week is okay or do you think I’ll eventually reach the deep part where gases are held and nuke my tank?

Just go slow and you should be fine. Leaving it in will definitely cause issues in a long enough timeframe though.

 

[CourtNjoeZreef]

I use a turkey baster to stir the sand in my tank it keeps it rather clean. i do it once a week right before my water change.

 

[NanoJHB]

Watched this video the other day, I really enjoyed it.

Love your stuff

 

[Neptune 555]

I am harvesting pods for my mandarins… I fear cleaning my sand will just remove the pods I am proactively trying to grow? Also I have CUC you mentioned - sand sifting Star large 2 fighting conchs, s sand sifting gobies… will they starve?

 

[Viking_Reefing]

I use a turkey baster to stir the sand in my tank it keeps it rather clean. i do it once a week right before my water change.

That’s also a great option

Watched this video the other day, I really enjoyed it.

Love your stuff

Glad to hear it man! I wish I had more time making these longer format videos but dang…they take up a fair bit of time haha

I am harvesting pods for my mandarins… I fear cleaning my sand will just remove the pods I am proactively trying to grow? Also I have CUC you mentioned - sand sifting Star large 2 fighting conchs, s sand sifting gobies… will they starve?

No, I wouldn’t be to worried about that honestly.