Who vacuums their sandbed?
 

I have a SSB running on my tank, but the tank is so full of rock I really can't reach much of it...and the parts I can reach just end up in the bucket because my sand (caribsea aragamax) is too light to fall back down in the siphon thingie. Just wondering who all vacuums there sandbed?

And for those who do, how do you keep your sand from all ending up in your bucket? I could easily vacuum pretty much all of it directly into the bucket =/ If it is by using a different brand, what is that brand and grain size/shape?

Edit: I have an orange lipped conch and a signal goby that keep the sand churned up like Myka says, but I am worried about the possible detritus that may be building up.

reply
 

Sometimes I vacuum the top if there is cyano, but usually I just stir it up a bit prior to a water change.

I vacuum my SSB every water change. Keeps it nice a tidy looking. I guesstimate that I'll have to start adding new sand about once a year.

Steve Weast of Oregon Reef fame changed his entire sandbed on a regular basis.

I keep my very shallow (except at certain points) sandbed stirred and then run the diatom filter for awhile after. I usually stir it up once or twice a week and run the diatom after for a day or so. Keeps everything clean, mostly. To keep it perfectly clean and crisp you would need to replace it every month or so. There was a guy in europe on a rc tank of the month who replaced his whole sandbed i beleive once a month. Always a beautiful white.

I've seen your tank danny, i find it hard to believe it ever looks worse than perfect :)

I don't vacuum my sandbed, I have an Orange Lip Conch that does a very good job of keeping the sand churned, and white. :)

EDIT: Forgot to mention I have a Hector's Goby that sifts the sand all day too. He picks at the rocks too. :)

I have an inbetween ssb and dsb (up to 3" in some spots) and I leave it be, the worms get a bit upset if i disturb it :lol:

I mostly vacuum my SSB when I feel like it. I keeps getting harder to get to all the time, so eventually I probably won't be able to. I vacuum into a filter sock, so I can take my time.

I do the same thing, but also put an extension on the intake of the diatom and suck up any algae from rocks, powerheads, etc. An extension on the exhaust also works good for blowing detritus from hard to get to places.

If your powerheads are placed properly and are of the right size you should have NO detritus building up. If you notice a spot, adjust your powerheads. I do notice detritus on top of the sand now and then, and when I see it I do suck it out during a waterchange and then adjust my powerheads, but by no means do I vacuum the sand.