Your favorite sand stirrer?

[cdw79]

I'm at about a year into my 180 gal build I'm still experiencing some less than pristine sand. Tried a diamond goby but it was more interested in making 8 inch tall mounds of sand than actually churning through it. What's your favorite tank inhabitant to keep your sand clean?

 

[EricR]

Nassarius snails and tiger sand conch are my favorite but my tank is tiny compared to yours.

 

[Solo McReefer]

 

[cdw79]

Nassarius snails and tiger sand conch are my favorite but my tank is tiny compared to yours.

I've got several conchs and the jumbo sized Tongan (I think) nassarius snails. The conchs honestly don't seem to do a whole lot for me, from what I can tell. The snails do a good job turning over the sand that happens to be above them, but as you point out, with a big tank footprint there is, it's not much. Just curious to hear what else is out there!

 

[steveschuerger]

Previously I had a couple sea cucumbers that were pretty good at keeping the sand clean. They’d “eat” it process the organics and clean sand out the butt..

 

[cdw79]

Previously I had a couple sea cucumbers that were pretty good at keeping the sand clean. They’d “eat” it process the organics and clean sand out the butt..

Would they make much of a difference at the top of the sand bed? I'm less worried about the sand that's not visible, mostly just wanting to find a way to keep the top layer white

 

[steveschuerger]

Would they make much of a difference at the top of the sand bed? I'm less worried about the sand that's not visible, mostly just wanting to find a way to keep the top layer white

They hung out on top actually.

 

[AetherealKnight]

Sleeper head goby, he’s kept my sand pristine. They sift more than sand sifting gobies do ime.

Last time I had a diamond goby, it went in a cave and never came out, several weeks later my cleaner shrimp pulled it out and it was dead from starvation.

 

[cdw79]

Sleeper head goby, he’s kept my sand pristine. They sift more than sand sifting gobies do ime.

Last time I had a diamond goby, it went in a cave and never came out, several weeks later my cleaner shrimp pulled it out and it was dead from starvation.

I've heard that they end up swimming into the water column and covering everything in sand though?

 

[AetherealKnight]

I've heard that they end up swimming into the water column and covering everything in sand though?

Yeah they do that, but to be fair, in my experience it’s not enough sand for me to be worry about anything. In fact there hardly any sand at all on the rocks but he does build mounds on the sand bed lol