Sand Sifter Suggestion

[SilentDan]

Is there a recommended sand sifter for a 30 gallon reef tank? I am beginning to notice my sand taking on a green tinge from the algae. I have one nassarius snail, but it only pops out of the sand when it senses me adding good food to the tank. I had the idea of a strawberry conch, but am uncertain if it would have enough food long term. I have fairly coarse aragonite sand. I have a large amount of live rock, so amount of open sand is on the order of 1 square foot. I am aiming to have an invert fill this role.

Thank you.

[Clown79]

1 nassarius for a 30g isn't enough. Add a few more, get some cerith snails, get a few hermits. Do you vacuum your sandbed with your waterchanges?

[SilentDan]

Thank you for the advice. I have two cerith snails. I can get more.

 

I was aiming to avoid hermits, mostly to avoid them deciding snails and coral were better meal options than detritus.

 

No, aside from my previous battles with purple slime I have not been vacuuming my sandbed.

[Clown79]

Hermits don't go after corals, I have never seen that.

 

I have seen hermits go after a dying snail, a dead snail, or particularly ceriths. Scarlets hermits generally i have never seen aggressive.

 

Providing enough food and empty shells prevents this.

 

You really should vacuum your sand every week. Sand gets really nasty, even with cleaners.

 

Since you haven't been, I'd start off a section at a time. Once its been all vacuumed after a fews weeks then you can do the whole bed with every waterchange.