sand bed clean up

[monti1]

What are you guys using as clean up for your sand beds? I am pretty sure that sand sifting stars are notorious for completely depleting life in a bed. I daeff dont want that but would like some sort of cleaner. What do you recomend?

 

[new2saltyfish]

you could get some nassarius snails which move the sand around a bit

 

[S Hunter]

you could try a Sand Sifting Sea Cucumber... mine does a great job

 

[Frag Freaks]

you could get some nassarius snails which move the sand around a bit

Agree, mine do an awesome job of moving the sand around.

 

[nichols]

I have a large banded brittle star, 2 Atlantic cucumbers, a number of the large pacific and smaller atlantic nassarius snails and a small army of cerith snails.

 

[phatbob]

Fighting conchs do a good job as well. Don't be scared off by the name, they're peaceful.

 

[monti1]

IF a cuke dies it wont wipe out a whole tank like a sea applle will it?

 

[delta]

Flow and more water changes, I have never come up with any else that was more than partial solution.
Critter are good for keeping house but that is it IME. Once you have a problem it is back to the basic. Which will usually push you to the brink of giving up then all of a sudden everything turns around.

 

[Ruge13]

My nas snail does a great job with misc food etc. but the best one I have is my Algae Blenny. He eats just as much sand as he does slime algae off rocks and glass.

 

[DawnOctopus]

Banded gobies are great sand sifters

 

[coldshutter]

Banded keeps mine nice

 

[JOHNNY O.]

cucubers

IF a cuke dies it wont wipe out a whole tank like a sea applle will it?

Read this story on r/c today Word Of Warning hers the link
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1278745

 

[Chris A.]

Read this story on r/c today Word Of Warning hers the link
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1278745

My tank got nuked by a cucuber in August,never again

 

[dz6t]

Flow and more water changes, I have never come up with any else that was more than partial solution.
Critter are good for keeping house but that is it IME. Once you have a problem it is back to the basic. Which will usually push you to the brink of giving up then all of a sudden everything turns around.

Second that.

When a tank is in trouble, snails die very quikly and contribute to the issue as well. Keep the water in check then use snails/hermits to clean up un-eatten food.

 

[Jennifer]

I use a stick. LOL