This seems kind of like a holy war, similar to Apple/Android or Ford/Chevy. Some vacuum religiously, some say let it be or bad things happen. My sand is reasonably deep, 2-3 inches and I'm wondering what everybody does regarding deep cleaning, vs surface cleaning
Sand bed cleaning
- Thread starter joeyprice
- Start date
The reason why you have two sides that argue opposing points is because they are proposing 2 solutions to the same issue.
Dont stir up a dirty sand bed.
Regardless of conchs and nassarius (and ceriths, sea stars, pistol shrimp, wrasses, and others), i still recommend vacuuming sand beds. If i can pull up water that is thick and dark brown/grey, then that is nastiness that i am happy to remove. I never vacuum an entire tank in 1 sitting, but ill get bits of it piece by piece.
Dont stir up a dirty sand bed.
Regardless of conchs and nassarius (and ceriths, sea stars, pistol shrimp, wrasses, and others), i still recommend vacuuming sand beds. If i can pull up water that is thick and dark brown/grey, then that is nastiness that i am happy to remove. I never vacuum an entire tank in 1 sitting, but ill get bits of it piece by piece.
I also have a 2-3 inch deep sand bed. I have a pretty decent clean up crew to help keep it stirred. I'll vacuum the sand probably about once a month.
I had a nano with descent clean crew where sand was untouched for about a year. Saw video that said I should clean sand. Cleaned sand, tank crashed. Fast forward 5 years later to new set up. Established routine from day 1. Have descent clean up crew. New tank is a 60 cube. Water change (WC) 10 gallons every other week. Week one I vaccume front half with WC. Week 3 I vaccume back with WC. I have yet to have a major algae or bloom of any type issue that crashed tank. (yet)
I feel consistency is the key here no matter what the choice. If you don't clean don't stir up the sand. If you do clean do it on a schedule that works for your system.
I have had better inhabitant health cleaning I feel. I am not an expert at all. There is no scientific evedince to back up my feelings. It just seems that everything I read about reefing states consistency as your best defense so I strive to be that anywhere possible, including my sand regimen
I feel consistency is the key here no matter what the choice. If you don't clean don't stir up the sand. If you do clean do it on a schedule that works for your system.
I have had better inhabitant health cleaning I feel. I am not an expert at all. There is no scientific evedince to back up my feelings. It just seems that everything I read about reefing states consistency as your best defense so I strive to be that anywhere possible, including my sand regimen
depending on how big your tank is.
1 fighting conch and a handful of nassarius snails and you are set. You can also do a sand sifting starfish if you want, but not 100% needed.
I am not a fan of vacuuming the sand, but I know many that do successfully, as AA said, if you do don't do it all in 1 setting and be gentle with it.
1 fighting conch and a handful of nassarius snails and you are set. You can also do a sand sifting starfish if you want, but not 100% needed.
I am not a fan of vacuuming the sand, but I know many that do successfully, as AA said, if you do don't do it all in 1 setting and be gentle with it.
