what's the best sand cleaner for a 10 gallon

jarviz

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I have a 5 month old tank that keeps getting green algae on it. Nitrates are about 5ppm and phosphates are about .05ppm. I neglected it for a little bit and was overfeeding a lot at one point to get my nitrates up. What's something that will keep my sand clean? my hermits, ceriths, turbo, and trochus snails are not touching the stuff gorwing on the sand... i think.
 

Jekyl

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You're the best method. Nassarius snails will help
 

Sharkbait19

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Brittle stars, nassarius snails, sand dwelling gobies, and pistol shrimp do wonders. Especially the pistol. It messes with frag plugs but when I added mine, the sandbed was cleaner overnight.
I don’t vacuum my sand bed. I do move it around during cleanings though just to get some surface stuff up.
 

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Brittle stars, nassarius snails, sand dwelling gobies, and pistol shrimp do wonders. Especially the pistol. It messes with frag plugs but when I added mine, the sandbed was cleaner overnight.
I don’t vacuum my sand bed. I do move it around during cleanings though just to get some surface stuff up.
Are there any goby that fit a 10 gal?
 

Sharkbait19

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Are there any goby that fit a 10 gal?
Neon gobies, smaller watchman/shrimp gobies (especially those of the stonogobiops genus), coral gobies (not much of a sand sifter), and firefish are all good options. As a whole, gobies tend to be low waste or inactive (with exceptions), so 10 gallons is enough space for a good amount.
 
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jarviz

jarviz

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Brittle stars, nassarius snails, sand dwelling gobies, and pistol shrimp do wonders. Especially the pistol. It messes with frag plugs but when I added mine, the sandbed was cleaner overnight.
I don’t vacuum my sand bed. I do move it around during cleanings though just to get some surface stuff up.
pistol shrimps? won't i need to add a goby for them to really be happy? i think i'm at my limit for fish. And don't they only touch the sand outside of their burrow.?
 

Sharkbait19

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pistol shrimps? won't i need to add a goby for them to really be happy? i think i'm at my limit for fish. And don't they only touch the sand outside of their burrow.?
You don’t need a goby for a pistol, but it does keep them out more often. Mine doesn’t have a goby yet and he is doing fine.
 

jurgenph

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Surprised nobody mentioned a Conch for your sand bed.

a 10 gallon may be too small for a conch.

i'd say a few cerith and nassarius snails.

unless you want to go the excavator route and put in a sand sifting gobie... but i wouldn't put one in a 10 gallon either.


J.
 

Ghost25

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I have no idea why people keep recommending Nassarius. They are scavenging carnivores, yes they live in the sand but they won't touch algae! Sure they're good snails to have but not for algae control.
 

lukefish

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I have no idea why people keep recommending Nassarius. They are scavenging carnivores, yes they live in the sand but they won't touch algae! Sure they're good snails to have but not for algae control.
I hadn’t seen mine in weeks. Thought it was dead. Then it popped up one day.

now it’s gone again.

They don t eat algae.

The pistol churns up the sand. It’s a bit annoying as it can cover coral and over turn frags. But once you get the positioning right, it’s the best!

(52 litre tank with a pistol / goby pair and they are fine)
 

Sharkbait19

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I have no idea why people keep recommending Nassarius. They are scavenging carnivores, yes they live in the sand but they won't touch algae! Sure they're good snails to have but not for algae control.
They aren’t algae eaters but they turn over the sand. This helps to prevent algae from settling and being able to grow on the sand.
 

jurgenph

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I have no idea why people keep recommending Nassarius. They are scavenging carnivores, yes they live in the sand but they won't touch algae! Sure they're good snails to have but not for algae control.
never claimed they eat algae.
but they move around in your sandbed, freeing detritus and eating up leftovers, preventing algae to grow there.
if it doesn't grow, it doesn't need to be eaten.


J.
 

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