Vacuuming Sand Bed

[spfahnestock]

I realized something this morning while reading a few threads. The thinking of vacuuming sands beds has definitely shifted from when I had my first tank. Previously the guidance would be do not touch the sand bed as only bad things will come from vacuuming or doing any maintenance with it.

Does anyone know what has caused this shift or is just another one of those things that are cyclic and will eventually return to "don't touch the sand bed"?

 

[Ron Reefman]

I think it kind of depends on your tank, it's inhabitants and your attitude.

I vacuumed my sand bed when I started 20 years ago. It was kind of a common practice, but certainly not something that everybody did.

But my tanks got to the point that I had a variety of sand cleaners as well as only a small area of sand I could even get to. So I quit. I seriously doubt that I'll ever vacuum my sand again. Sure, it's not pretty white on the surface. And where you can see into the sand along the glass, it's almost ugly. But there is a pretty significant community of critters that live in there and some of my inverts depend on that fact.

 

[topjimmy]

It depends on what you were looking for with the sand. The DSB and jaubert plenums were meant to not be disturbed.

 

[Blknovass]

Yes if you are running a DSB leave it alone. Mine I run 2-3” and I sift through it weekly during a 2% water change.