what is the best sand-sifter?

[fresh]

Hi all,

I want to get me a sand sifter on the boxing day sales, but I don't know which one!!! I don't want to add anything that will kill all the good stuff in my sand and then starve (such as yellow-headed goby). I probably want something that mostly eats algea and stirs the top part of my sand. Probably a big NO to a sand-sifting star because from what I heard they decimate all life in the sand.

I also don't want anything that will end up digging under the rocks and causing a rock-fall!!!

Any suggestions? I heard about conches, is that a good option? What about cucumbers? Are they reef safe? Just let me know what has worked for you before.

I have 10 or so Nassarius Snails but they are not doing the job properly, so I just thought about adding more help.

Thanks
fresh.

[DanG]

Sometimes when I come home I can see nothing but the eyes of my strawberry conch. They dig all day long and sometimes bury themselves and dig a bit deeper. Reef safe, very peaceful and IMO a good addition to a tank, FO or reef.

[Bob I]

I have never had a Strawerry Conch, but I have had a few Fighting Conches. They were great, but grew too fast in my limited area. If a conch does not work for you, I would add Cerith Snails. I have found those to be the best all around snails.

[Skimmerking]

Originally Posted by Bob I

I have never had a Strawerry Conch, but I have had a few Fighting Conches. They were great, but grew too fast in my limited area. If a conch does not work for you, I would add Cerith Snails. I have found those to be the best all around snails.

I agree with Bob on his post I have had a Strawberry conch ,and Fighting conch's too, as well as cerith, narrarius snails too. Black cucumbers are a good one to, but they don't go low in the sandbed like the snails and conchs do.

Cerith snails also reproduce well they have in my tank..

mike

[danny zubot]

In addition to conches you might want to try an olive snail. Mine is about 1.25 inches and scurries around under the sand churning it up as it goes. the only downfall is that you rarely see the beautifully shimmering shell that it lives in.

Other than that, try a pistol shrimp. Mine does a great job of keeping the caverns under the rockwork clean, normally they would just collect ditritus.

[seashells]

I have a very hard working sleeper goby that is looking for a new home. He turns the sand over very well. He can be yours if I can catch him.

Doug

[Invigor]

i've got a sand sifting star and a black knobby cucumber. both are doing great. they've got 10sqft for the two of them -- should be lots of life for them to eat.