Do you vacuum your sandbed? If so, what’s your method?

[mistergray]

I’m 100% positive I’m overthinking this but I’d love some advice on cleaning my sandbed. Some say they don’t and some say they do. If you don’t, please tell me why and your methods on keeping your sand clean. If you do, please let me know your process.

Today will be my first time cleaning my sandbed since I’ve cycled my tank. The sand is starting to look a little brown. One of my concerns is when I vaccum my sandbed that I’ll vaccum all my sand out. Additionally, I’ve watched videos and read articles saying you should stir your sand first. Once again, I’m super overthinking this, but is there a special way I should stir the sand?

Also, I purchased snails for the first time yesterday in hopes to help with several things and hopefully the sandbed (5 trochus, 5 astreas & 5 nassarius). They’re really doing great but I guess I shouldn’t expect them to do much to the top of the sand. They’re doing great on the rock and glass though.

 

[Apollo7235]

I plan to use primarily natural methods to clean my sand bed: nassarius snails, pistol shrimp/goby pairs, etc, as well as the siphon method during water changes. I have the Python setup and it’s super easy to use. I just vacuum the sand about halfway into the vacuum head so it tumbled around a bit, then raise the whole thing about mid height in the tank so it falls back out. Haven’t had an issue with losing sand to it yet, but I know it’s certainly possibly considering I tested that theory and was able to do it, haha.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

I think this topic is the same as changing your transmission fluid. If you are going to do it be consistent if not then don't ever do it.

 

[dank reefer]

On my 90 when i did vacuum the sand I would place a filter sock in the sump and use a python vacuum to that filter sock and vacuum to my hearts content. Replace the filter sock when needed and continue vacuuming.

 

[Apollo7235]

I think this topic is the same as changing your transmission fluid. If you are going to do it be consistent if not then don't ever do it.

After reading some of what @brandon429 has written/kept record of, I would be terrified not to! Haha!

 

[Apollo7235]

On my 90 when i did vacuum the sand I would place a filter sock in the sump and use a python vacuum to that filter sock and vacuum to my hearts content. Replace the filter sock when needed and continue vacuuming.

Awesome idea! I’m going to do this!

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

After reading some of what @brandon429 has written/kept record of, I would be terrified not to! Haha!

I keep my beds around 5 inches. I let the conchs and sand sifting stars handle the sand. I'm more worried about disturbing the bed then keeping it "clean". But who knows perhaps I should try vacuuming regularly. I wonder what the effect would be if any.

 

[Apollo7235]

I keep my beds around 5 inches. I let the conchs and sand sifting stars handle the sand. I'm more worried about disturbing the bed then keeping it "clean". But who knows perhaps I should try vacuuming regularly. I wonder what the effect would be if any.

I would be very careful if you do decide to vacuum it for the first time, but maybe you’ll be fine since you already have sand agitation and CUC... I certainly am not an expert on this, so just a guess.

After reading about the black clouds of death many reefers experienced by accidentally disturbing their substrate, I’m determined not to find myself in a similar situation, so I will continue to vacuum my sand bed to supplement my CUC.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

For perspective here's the sand height for my RS 170. No vacuuming ever and take is about to turn 2 years. Sand has stayed extremely clean but I have a minimal bioload in this tank. Very interesting topic though. I love it when it pops up.

 

[sp1187]

3 or 4 of these.

 

[mistergray]

On my 90 when i did vacuum the sand I would place a filter sock in the sump and use a python vacuum to that filter sock and vacuum to my hearts content. Replace the filter sock when needed and continue vacuuming.

Buy filter sock

CHECK!!!

Love this idea!

 

[mistergray]

For perspective here's the sand height for my RS 170. No vacuuming ever and take is about to turn 2 years. Sand has stayed extremely clean but I have a minimal bioload in this tank. Very interesting topic though. I love it when it pops up.

Wooooow....that’s high! The stars and the conchs keep the sand white all on their lonesome?

 

[mistergray]

3 or 4 of these.

Newbie alert! Lol! What is that? Will it grow too large for a 32g?

 

[Tamberav]

What I do is take a turkey baster (oxo brand is good) and blast the sand all over to stir it up and the small particles go into the overflow into a sock. It is a lot easier then siphoning imo and the filter feeders also get a meal.

 

[Poof No Eyebrows]

Wooooow....that’s high! The stars and the conchs keep the sand white all on their lonesome?

They handle the top inch or so where the sediment builds I imagine. Every 3 months or so I very carefully run a plastic scraper blade along the outer edge to clean up the algae. But that's it. It is a very light load tank. Total water volume maybe 55 gallons and I have 3 damsels and a clown. That's it. Feeding is once every evening and I only add what doesn't hit the sand bed. I also have a reefwave25 running at 40% on alternating directs that really keeps stuff from settling in that tank.

 

[Hot2na]

nope .. I have a massive cuc that takes care of it...

 

[anthonygf]

I use a cordless dental flosser with brush on tip, got the idea from a member here. I blow off the rocks in and around my corals and sand bed in different areas every two weeks. Let the water flow through the sand, I no longer vacuum the sand bed. While doing this I have a polishing filter running in the tank to quickly clear the water and then remove filter when water is clear. Works well for me 6 months now. The tube on the vacuum can hurt inverts in the sand, IMO.

 

[anthonygf]

Newbie alert! Lol! What is that? Will it grow too large for a 32g?

I have 3 of those in my 75. They are about 3 inches. I think there are several species but for these here 1 for every 30 gallons according to Reef Cleaners.

Florida Fighting Conch​

 

[Mike konesky]

What I do is take a turkey baster (oxo brand is good) and blast the sand all over to stir it up and the small particles go into the overflow into a sock. It is a lot easier then siphoning imo and the filter feeders also get a meal.

+1 on this. I used to vac weekly. Now I just baste the whole sandbed. Much less work

 

[anthonygf]

+1 on this. I used to vac weekly. Now I just baste the whole sandbed. Much less work

If you have arthritic hands like I do try using a cordless dental flosser like I mentioned, alot less bulb squeezing.