how to keep sand clean?

[bluetang_2000]

I have a 4"sand bed in the tank, What can I do to keep the sand clean?

Ron

 

[LeviT]

fwiw, there are avariety of sand sifting gobies and snails that could help keep the surface clean at least. I have 2 nassarius snails and a diamond bogie with my SB and they do the trick

 

[FinalPhaze987]

having a good amount of dispursed flow also help keep stuff from settling in the sand. We have a dragon goby that leaves no grain unsifted...

 

[bluetang_2000]

seems like dragon goby and nassarius snails will do the trick. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[jetblackg]

a sand sifter starfish should help a little, i have one and it works for me

 

[CookieJar]

be careful of sand sifting starfish, they may wipe out the critters in your sandbed. Nassarius are good, I have a few fighting conch which are great- they move around the sand and with their mouths reach any algae within 2" of the sandbed. during water changes I siphon a little of top sand- just the areas that look a little 'dirty'.

 

[moo0o]

i have a small sand bed so every water change i just use one of those gravel vacs and siphon the sand a lil bit.

 

[LeviT]

[quote author=moo0o link=topic=4158.msg50079#msg50079 date=1217063232]
i have a small sand bed so every water change i just use one of those gravel vacs and siphon the sand a lil bit.[/quote]
fwiu, with a DSB you might stir some stuff up causing you more problems

 

[Roc]

I was thinking about getting a diamond goby, would that be better then a dragon goby

 

[FinalPhaze987]

[quote author=Roc link=topic=4158.msg50089#msg50089 date=1217086905]
I was thinking about getting a diamond goby, would that be better then a dragon goby
[/quote]

IME they arn't as hardy. we had a diamond before and it wouldnt eat anything we threw in for it. Our dragon took quickly to mysis and even pellets..

 

[bluetang_2000]

how about orange spotted goby or pistol shrimp?

 

[LeviT]

I have heard the oposite, my diamond goby (AKA orange spotted goby) eats like a pig and trys to eat just about anything I put in the tank.

 

[Roc]

Whanever I get a fish I ask to see it eat before taking home so that isn't my worry either way. I was more wondering about which is a better sand sifter

 

[phishphood]

I've never had a dragon goby, but it seems that it'd be hard to compete with a Diamond goby. Never had a problem getting my several to eat pellets/mysis. As long as the food got far enough down in the water column. He didn't like getting more than ~4" off the sand. It also cleaned a 3'x3' sand bed overnight.

 

[Roc]

I ended up getting a twin striped goby, mainly because I knew he was healthy and it's something that not everyone has.