Vacuum Sand Bed?

[smeagol108]

In the past i have always kept fish only tanks and vacuuming the sand bed was a part of every water change. I now have a fluval edge whcih is still young but running strong (was started in november 2014).

 

Heres a link to my tank thread:

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/358418-goby-reef-6-gallon-fluval-edge/

 

So my question is, in a reef tank, do you vacuum your gravel? Is it required for long term survival of tank? Or it is better not to?

 

I do blow of detritus off rocks etc. using a baby medicine dropper and do my water changes immediately after. I have cuc of nassarius, ceriths, astreas, trochus and plenty of copepods and amphipods (wish there was less of these - some are huge). Sandbed it anywhere from 1.5-2.5 inches deep depending on area of tank.

 

So what does everyone do? to vaccum or not to vacuum? so far i have literally not touched by sandbed other than to put new frags in.

 

[SeventyTimes7]

I've been researching this because I'm starting to have a red hair algae bloom. I'd say vacuuming the sandbed is essential in preventing nuisance algae.

[Chadf]

I'd say vacuum the sand if it's under 3", don't vacuum if over 3". IMO the sand should be 1" or less, or 4"+.

[Nano sapiens]

For long term survival of a tank with a shallow sand bed, yes. Also very helpful to periodically clean the sand that lies under the live rock.

 

If your tank is established, don't try to do this all at once, but do one small section of the tank at a time. This will avoid polluting the tank's water column with too much of the stirred up noxious waste products all at once.

[smeagol108]

thanks for the advice so far. Interesting to see the varying opinions. I personally normally like a very shallow sand bed, but i have goby pair and pistol shrimp in this tank so they needed a little more. definitely under 3 inches though, most places are around 2. I havent had really any nuisance algaw issues. I had a hair algae bloom fo rlike a week but the snails took care of it and it never returned.

 

Whos got the longest nano reef going and do you vacuuum?? I know Brandon has some long running nanos, anyone know if he vacuums?

[ReefWeeds]

I stir mine (rotating areas) and use a baster to get detritus on the SB flowing, but don't siphon it unless I notice something that needs siphoning. With your pistol/goby, you probably don't need to stir it! I do the water changes from the back chambers of my BC so as to not disturb too much. Of course, my tank is newer, but some of the advice I've gotten was to leave the SB alone and let it function as long as it is getting aerated occasionally. My SB is roughly 2" deep.

[Nano sapiens]

Whos got the longest nano reef going and do you vacuuum?? I know Brandon has some long running nanos, anyone know if he vacuums?

 

Smart question to ask.

 

From what I read Brandon uses a 100% WC dump into the tank to thoroughly aggitate the substrate. Not sure about the frequency, but you can find his tank thread on here.

 

My 12g is a few months shy of 7 years...

[lkoechle]

I vaccuum if its under 3inches. I don't vaccuum anymore though because I have a sand sifting goby.

[dpoltsdsu]

For long term survival of a tank with a shallow sand bed, yes. Also very helpful to periodically clean the sand that lies under the live rock.

 

If your tank is established, don't try to do this all at once, but do one small section of the tank at a time. This will avoid polluting the tank's water column with too much of the stirred up noxious waste products all at once.

Perfect response in my opinion. This is what I do as well

[ReefSafeSolutions]

I just did a water change today and vacuumed up some fish poop...my sand bed is fairly deep but I don't have much open sand space...my live rock covers quite a bit of ground. So when I do a water change I like to just siphon out some of the loose poop I can see on the sand. I don't dig around for it...I just remove the stuff I can easily see.

[smeagol108]

 

Smart question to ask.

 

From what I read Brandon uses a 100% WC dump into the tank to thoroughly aggitate the substrate. Not sure about the frequency, but you can find his tank thread on here.

 

My 12g is a few months shy of 7 years...

Wow 7 years! That's pretty awesome. I hope my tank makes it half as long! What do you do in yours? Just light vacuuming of small areas periodically? I do about fifty percent water changes twice a week currently as the tank is only six gallons so it's easy.

[Nano sapiens]

Wow 7 years! That's pretty awesome. I hope my tank makes it half as long! What do you do in yours? Just light vacuuming of small areas periodically? I do about fifty percent water changes twice a week currently as the tank is only six gallons so it's easy.

 

It's a little bit more involved than that:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/327364-maintenance-and-the-nano-reef-tank/

 

Just need suficient nutrient export to balance the nutrient inport.

[smeagol108]

 

It's a little bit more involved than that:

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/327364-maintenance-and-the-nano-reef-tank/

 

Just need suficient nutrient export to balance the nutrient inport.

Nice writeup!!! glad to see i do mostof that list already, minus the sandbed work. I will begin adding that to my routing, just so difficult with all these damn corals all over it.

[Nano sapiens]

...just so difficult with all these damn corals all over it.

 

Yeah, we all tend to add 'just one more coral' to the tank

 

A while back my SB was full of LPS and assorted frags, but I've since cleared all but a single rock full of Rics away. Better for my Clownfish, too, as they now have more play/swimming room.

[smeagol108]

 

Yeah, we all tend to add 'just one more coral' to the tank

 

A while back my SB was full of LPS and assorted frags, but I've since cleared all but a single rock full of Rics away. Better for my Clownfish, too, as they now have more play/swimming room.

lol. I just dont know what to do with them all in this six gallon tank. may be time for an upgrade.