to sift or not to sift the sand

Just checking, during water change should I be sifting some of the sand while I do my water change or should I just be taking the water out?

 

Most people would say not to vacuum the sand out when doing water changes with a DSB to avoid disrubting the bio system.

 

We buy critters to sift our sand. It's much better and easier that way. You could buy some nassarius snails, one or two sand sifting starfish, or even a goby or fish that sifts the sand. We have a pistol shrimp and goby pair that turn over our 2" sand bed completely at least once a month. They're beasts. We always brag about having the cleanest sand

 

Along this line, if a person has a DSB does a sifting goby mess with the bio filtering? I saw a Orange diamond goby at the LFS today and have added it to the list of possibilities for my tank once I get it all together and established.

 

I wouldnt unless you have a serious nitrate problem, then you can sift the top inch for a few water changes.

Other than that you should not really disturb it, let the critters do that work!

 

If its a functioning deep sand bed then leave it alone, if its decorative the sift all you want. A DSB can be cleaned in small sections and only 1/4" or so deep but do it a little at a time over a week or two and not deep, only the surface. I try to avoid digging fish and inhabitants but I recently inherited a watchman goby, shrimp pair and they are a hoot to watch. I hate the sand storm but they stick prety much to one section of the tank so I'll overlook their mess.

 

I used to say; "leave the sand bed alone". I have to quantify that statement to; "If your tank is over 29 gal., leave it alone." In smaller tanks I think it is safe and as long as you don't allow the gunk to escape the siphon, everything will be fine. In a tank such as yours (120 gal.) I would leave it alone and use Conchs and Nassarius and inverts of the like to clean it slowly over time as to not release Nitrate potentials into the water volume.

 

thanks for the input, i appreciate it