Tips for gathering CUC from sand bed

[JayM]

If all goes well, tomorrow starts tank swap weekend. Everything but the sand is going to be reused, and I have 99% of the job planned. The 1% being how to collect the sand dwelling CUC as effectively and efficiently as possible while keeping casualties to a minimum.

What have you all found to work well?

 

[eliaslikesfish]

what sorts of critters do u have?

 

[JayM]

what sorts of critters do u have?

Nassarius snails mostly. Some ceriths as well.

 

[eliaslikesfish]

Nassarius snails mostly. Some ceriths as well.

once everything else is out of the tank i personally would go in with a small net and start at an edge/corner of the tank-push it into the sand down to the bottom of the tank and drag it along like you’re trawling little by little and just manually lightly sift through it with your fingers every time you fill the net.

not sure if that makes any sense, if not lmk and i can try to better explain it.

 

[OutColdCRNA]

I did this same thing about two months ago. I used a small plastic colander to sift through the sand.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Put some gloves on and rake the sand and scoop them out.

 

[JayM]

I did this same thing about two months ago. I used a small plastic colander to sift through the sand.

That could work so long as the wife is still gone when I get to that point. Otherwise I’ll probably get in trouble.

Put some gloves on and rake the sand and scoop them out.

LOL. I didn’t even think of doing it that way. If plan A above doesn’t work out, this is a solid plan B.

 

[mpatterson42]

Try a cat litter scooper, they might fit through if they're really small but you'll get most of the bigger ones.