Sandbed always dirty?

[tippytango]

I can’t figure out how to keep my Sandbed clean. It has multiple issues… green algae growing on it… lots of clumpy brown stuff… I had some Cyano that I think I siphoned all out. I feel like I’ve siphoned out so much of my sand trying to keep my tank looking clean.
What can I do? I have 4 trochus snails and a couple hermits. It’s a 20 gallon. I do weekly water changes.

Also, how can I clean the sand I have removed and re-add it to the tank?
Thanks!

 

[dhanking]

My sandbed is also really dirty and it has been years since I started this hobby. I think it comes down to uneaten food accumulating on the sandbed. If you feed your fishes food that dissolves into the water more easily, your problems are likely to be solved.

 

[\m/reefsnmetal\m/]

Make sure you have some flow down there and maybe add some sand sifting inverts. They toss the sand around and the flow will keep the sediment suspended so that it can get caught by whatever filter you use. My pistol shrimp is always moving stuff around and the areas he doesn't get to are noticeably "dirtier". Conches are a good choice too just to keep turning the sand over.

 

[JNalley]

For my 32.5 Gallon this is my CUC:

15x Astrea
10x Margarita
5x Nassarius
2x Cleaner Shrimp
2x Brittle Star
20x Assorted Hermits (Blue legs, electric blues, and scarlet/red)
1x Emerald Crab

My sand stays nice and white and is constantly turned over and aerated by the Nassarius.

 

[Adrift]

If you are going to add sand back I would rinse it with rodi. Put in a 2 litter bottle and spot fill really close.

 

[wonroc]

Just syphon it while in tank.

 

[EugeneVan]

That's why I go with bare bottom tank with coralline algae. Zero maintenance

 

[davidcalgary29]

Sand-sifting gobies will take care of that for you. Of course, they'll also spread sand over everything and everyone, so it's best for tanks that have "special grade" (not oolite) sand...and no coral on the sandbed.

Conchs can also help you clean the sand, and are much less disruptive.

 

[wonroc]

Some said gobies do what they want and not what their bought for. My goby is hardly ever seen sifting

 

[davidcalgary29]

Some said gobies do what they want and not what their bought for. My goby is hardly ever seen sifting

So true of most things in this hobby! Most utility species apparently don't read their own instruction manuals before jumping in our tanks.

I have a Gold Head Sleeper goby. It reminds me of a chain smoker; it's constantly trailing clouds of sand behind it. It does keep the sand bed sparkling clean...even if I do have to give it a ton of supplemental feedings.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Jaw fish are nice because they stay relative put and only sift around their burrows. They may change burrows from time to time. Definitely have a tight cover or you won't have them long. you can keep in groups and they're about the coolest fish out there.

 

[dvgyfresh]

For my 32.5 Gallon this is my CUC:

15x Astrea
10x Margarita
5x Nassarius
2x Cleaner Shrimp
2x Brittle Star
20x Assorted Hermits (Blue legs, electric blues, and scarlet/red)
1x Emerald Crab

My sand stays nice and white and is constantly turned over and aerated by the Nassarius.

This is it, my sandbed stays white not thanks to me but rather my cuc I do zero maintenance on it. Nassarius snails / two conchs / pink cucumber and other micro fauna that occupies sand keeps it clean

 

[tippytango]

For my 32.5 Gallon this is my CUC:

15x Astrea
10x Margarita
5x Nassarius
2x Cleaner Shrimp
2x Brittle Star
20x Assorted Hermits (Blue legs, electric blues, and scarlet/red)
1x Emerald Crab

My sand stays nice and white and is constantly turned over and aerated by the Nassarius.

Whoa guess I’ll be making a trip to my lfs tomorrow! Ha!