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my sand bed is about 1/2 inch deep,and i use a aquaclear 200 to polish the water ,its filter floss is change every three days,my nitrates are down to less than 5ppm ,with no hair algea growth,and no cyano,its just the brown diatoms,i will trying leaving the sand bed alone,there never is much taken up when i siphon anyways.

Re: .
 

with that shallow of a bed you don't have to worry about the same things as people with deeper beds worry about, I wouldn't siphon it anymore but I would take a stick or something and give it a good stir once a week. this will let any detritus that has settled go back into the water to be removed by your aqua clear.

Steve