Is my sand too filthy?

[Eclyps19]

Check out this nastiness...

Tank has been up for about 2 years, but the sandbed only about 6 months old. I feel like it contains FAR more detritus than it should.

It never seemed this bad until I started dosing silicates to help battle dinos. I accidentally dosed WAY more than I should have. Around that time is when I noticed how filthy the sandbed was underneath, though I can’t be sure it’s actually related.

Bioload is not massive - I’ve got 7 fish in a 110g. I have an RSK-600 skimmer that's rated well above my total water volume. I have 2 MP40s constantly running with pretty high flow throughout the tank.

CUC includes a sand sifting star and maybe a dozen nassarius snails, among all of my other non-sand-burrowing crabs and snails.

It just seems to me like this is way dirtier than it should be. I had a 30g for a few years and it never got this bad.

My source for Nassarius snails has been out of stock for quite some time now, so I may get a couple conchs to continue to stir up the sand. I QT all of my inverts, though, so I wouldn't be able to add anything to my DT for at least a couple months.

Assuming you agree that it's as bad as I think it is, what should I be doing with it? Should I continue to siphon it occasionally? Just leave it alone until I get more sand-dwelling CUC? Rip it all out and rinse it (looking at you, @brandon429 )?

 

[Brooke24]

Check out this nastiness...

Tank has been up for about 2 years, but the sandbed only about 6 months old. I feel like it contains FAR more detritus than it should.

It never seemed this bad until I started dosing silicates to help battle dinos. I accidentally dosed WAY more than I should have. Around that time is when I noticed how filthy the sandbed was underneath, though I can’t be sure it’s actually related.

Bioload is not massive - I’ve got 7 fish in a 110g. I have an RSK-600 skimmer that's rated well above my total water volume. I have 2 MP40s constantly running with pretty high flow throughout the tank.

CUC includes a sand sifting star and maybe a dozen nassarius snails, among all of my other non-sand-burrowing crabs and snails.

It just seems to me like this is way dirtier than it should be. I had a 30g for a few years and it never got this bad.

My source for Nassarius snails has been out of stock for quite some time now, so I may get a couple conchs to continue to stir up the sand. I QT all of my inverts, though, so I wouldn't be able to add anything to my DT for at least a couple months.

Assuming you agree that it's as bad as I think it is, what should I be doing with it? Should I continue to siphon it occasionally? Just leave it alone until I get more sand-dwelling CUC? Rip it all out and rinse it (looking at you, @brandon429 )?

Probably just me but I can’t see the video

 

[brandon429]

You are allowed to clean this sand as deeply as you want using certain methods, to make it as clean as you want. nothing bad happens in reefs that run this, we collect hundreds as ongoing examples.

instead of a doser/purchase/wait/hope if you ever want it just plain clean, message up let's do another deep clean mighty easy and fast depending on tank volume.

its ok to leave it in, see how things evolve

its ok to get right in and eject it all out too, not wait and see. we have methods for that if wanted. people like the outcomes because the tank is so bright and shiny and working great.

 

[rwreef]

Get a conch snail or two to keep it mixed up. Other than that I would not recommend disturbing the samd bed too much.

 

[schuby]

I consider an undisturbed, 2-3" sand-bed to be a critical part of my tank's overall bio-diversity. I've let it mature and develop for 2 years now. Stuff grows in there, especially in the anaerobic, lower section, that doesn't grow anywhere else. It all helps to balance my tank's bio-mass. The top of my sand is white with some purple and green layers/sections underneath, only visible from the sides. I intentionally added spaghetti worms and bristle worms to keep my sand-bed somewhat aerated. I've never vacuumed my sand. It is primarily an SPS reef tank with a few LPS.

 

[brandon429]

I just watched the video above for updates

that system is pretty darn clean

Im looking at the glass corners, no accumulations or black deposits.

the sand cross section is clean

yes there's clouding, but its from highly aerated zones like Randy has detritus piled up in his sump, that's not the same as funk from down low where oxic states indeed make some systems dangerous if we upwelled lower waste, that up top is classic marine snow feed due to its oxic/reduced state by common mixed aerobic bac

your system looks nice, Im not too prompted to rip into it until something bad causes the notion. your dilution is nice, bioload appropriate (I didn't see fifteen fish swim by for example, and wide open spaces, high rock surface area exposure)

there isn't a pronounced need for deep cleaning but if you want it, you can tell we sure can

my own reef is in between rip cleans right now and about as dirty as that sandbed, but its not harming anything so Im waiting till it gets worse to blast it all right back into shape.

 

[Eclyps19]

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated.

 

[Eclyps19]

Quick update here for anyone that finds this thread and is dealing with a similar situation. I’m about 99% sure that the vast majority of what I believed was just tons of detritus is actually.... particles from my alk/calc dosing! I’ve been 2-part dosing for a while now, but I did make some adjustments several months ago that resulted in the tubes for everything being almost on top of each other. I dose right into a turbulent area of my sump, BUT I my doser is set to dose everything all at the same time. Noob mistake, I know, but i don’t ever see it called out that dosing should be separated so they don’t mix and clump together.

I’ve adjusted my doser and I’m going to do a massive 40g water change and suck up as much of this junk as I can, then will see if it all comes back. If not, then that will confirm my problem!