Sand cleaners

What are the absolute best sand cleaners? I need some that keep the tops clean and burrowers that keep my DEEP sand bed clean? I was thinking about gobies but they are eart movers and heck on my rock display.......

 

A sand sifting machine...never stops. Demonstrated no inclination to move rock...unlike my Coris Wrasse which is constantly trying to rearrange tank.





See: FOTM - Apr '08 - Brownbarred Goby (Amblygobius phalaena)


Pics


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a diamond goby is a great sand shifter.doesnt damage things and doesnt rearrange things.i love mine.

 

You don't want burrowing animals if you're using a deep sand bed.

 

how come? don't they clean it......rid it of nasty stuff?

 

For a DSB to function properly, you can't expose the anaerobic bacteria to oxygen or you will kill the bacteria, rendering your DSB useless.

 

According to Shimek himself, deep sand beds are not to be disturbed. The Importance of Deep Sand. By Ronald L. Shimek


In the first paragraph under benefits he states "Benefits:

Hobbyists might think that sand beds have no place in a coral reef aquarium, particularly if they are trying to establish something resembling a natural coral reef. However, with some thought I am sure they would realize that most coral reefs are surrounded by sand area, and by constructing a sand bed in our aquariums we merely emulate nature. These beds provide three things. First, they provide a place for processing and exporting some dissolved nutrients. Second, they provide a place to recycle detritus, excess foods, animal feces and other particulate material into useable forms. Finally, they provide a food source for many reef animals. Let's look at each of these functions."

He left out the part about hurricanes, typhoons and other natural diseasters that turn the sand bed around reefs over. So in reality, if you wanna go with a deep sand bed because thats what nature has, you need to go in your tank about 4-5 times a year and turn everything over erattically to simulate a hurricane/typhoon.

 

That would be a recipe for disaster as all of the methanes that are trapped in the sandbed would be released and KABOOM, you're out one fish tank and alot of critters. If we could "dilute" methanes and other elements in an aquarium as is done in the ocean, it would be a different story altogether

 

All it takes is for something to dig down into the sand in the right spot and there goes the tank.

IMO, a lot of these "experts" over think things and forget about minor details that can totall change the equation.

I forgot to mention how shimek doesnt even have a tank anymore...

 

Great info....