Sand Bed Vacuum Test - Phosphate Liberation? - Page 6

edward1096 · 02/16/2016, 04:59 PM

Mixing up the sand bed weekly is a really good idea to get rid of all the waste that builds up in your tank. I would recommend for any size tank followed by water change.

dmh8801 · 02/16/2016, 07:06 PM

After getting fed up with fighting algae I said screw it and vacuumed every bit of the sand bed I could get to with a canister filter. No water changes (other then the gallon or so I lost while dumping out the filter).

I connected my siphon to a canister filter and the outlet went back in the tank. (The canister had a couple types of filter media in it.) I siphoned the sand all the way to the bottom of the tank. I would leave it in the same spot until clear water flowed through the siphon and the sand looked clean. The places I couldn't get to with the siphon, I would blow with the outlet hose of the filter with the siphon close by. I made three passes through the tank doing this.

I did this yesterday. While doing it the tank was a cloudy mess. Three hours later everything had cleared up and our corals were starting to perk back up. Six hours later, the corals looked great. Today I come home from work and the tank looks better than it ever has!

I have to say, I did start running GFO and carbon about two weeks ago with just a little effect. Cleaning the sand bed was like a night and day difference.

I'll report back on how things go from here.

CStrickland · 02/16/2016, 10:42 PM

I would expect some immediate perking from coral just due to stirring up detritus. They love that stuff.
I hope the good results continue long-term.

dmh8801 · 02/22/2016, 05:49 PM

Thanks CStrickland.

One week in after my major vacuum job and the tank is still looking great.

Very glad I did it.

rcypert · 12/02/2016, 05:21 AM

I take care of about 8 tanks for friends and people I have met through work. When I started out caring for tanks there were some filthy tanks. Some sandbeds had an inch thick layer of crap on top. I needed to vacuum it. So I started really light just a little at a time only do part of the tank. Bullcrap. It's all myth. Finally after playing with it. I just vacuum the heck out of them now. Everytime I see a new tank I don't care if it's 1 or 3 inches thick I vacuum it. All the way down. It has never hurt a single thing. It has only made it better. My sandbed at home has always been fairly clean so I never felt the need to vacuum it. But I started doing mine. It helps. All tanks I look after are saltwater. Some with skimmers and without. All different types of setups and livestock.
Don't just stir it. Vacuum it. Kick your skimmer on high make sure it's working good and go to town on that sand. If you don't have a skimmer get one first. A good one. Vacuum your sand. Your tank will appreciate it

salty joe · 12/02/2016, 05:52 AM

You mention that some tanks you look after don't have a skimmer. You also mention getting a skimmer before you vacuum sand. Do you vacuum sand on systems with no skimmer?

I ask because keeping sand turned over makes sense to me and I don't use a skimmer.

Griff500 · 12/21/2016, 05:48 PM

This is a great thread. Shouldn't it be a sticky?

Behroz · 04/19/2017, 02:57 PM

Hello. i have 150 gl reef whit DSB but always i have problem . can you please let me know how from DSB i go to 1 inch sand bed ? Thanks ben

Pipefitter533 · 03/24/2018, 12:04 PM

this is very good point and the way i am going thx

Cstone123 · 03/24/2018, 05:20 PM

I am fortunate. When I started this hobby my son was already 10 years into the hobby so he helped me with several items I would have struggled with. One of his first suggestions was to put in a course sand. Reason: it’s heavier, so during a vacuum it tumbles in the vacuum tube releasing all of the detritus ( poop ) while the sand falls back to earth. I actually use a small tube for tight areas and a big tube for the main field. I have a 90 gal with lots of rock so I can only vacuumed the outside edges as I can reach. I’m guessing I get 35% of the bed at best. But what I do vacuumed is like milk coming out of the same. The longer I wait the worse it is. For the remainder of my bed I keep 2 sand sifting cucumbers that help a lot. I have to be carful when I go digging with my small tube so I don’t hit them. The sand creates its own ecosystem, stuff that eats and stuff that rots. I call it a compost bed. It’s like changing the sheets on my bed. I can’t see it, but it’s there. Like a second hand smoke or a drive in farm country, fish don’t like it either. Poop is poop. Get it out.......

02/16/2016, 07:06 PM	#127
dmh8801 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Lakeland, FL Posts: 87	Cleaned my sand with a canister filter After getting fed up with fighting algae I said screw it and vacuumed every bit of the sand bed I could get to with a canister filter. No water changes (other then the gallon or so I lost while dumping out the filter). I connected my siphon to a canister filter and the outlet went back in the tank. (The canister had a couple types of filter media in it.) I siphoned the sand all the way to the bottom of the tank. I would leave it in the same spot until clear water flowed through the siphon and the sand looked clean. The places I couldn't get to with the siphon, I would blow with the outlet hose of the filter with the siphon close by. I made three passes through the tank doing this. I did this yesterday. While doing it the tank was a cloudy mess. Three hours later everything had cleared up and our corals were starting to perk back up. Six hours later, the corals looked great. Today I come home from work and the tank looks better than it ever has! I have to say, I did start running GFO and carbon about two weeks ago with just a little effect. Cleaning the sand bed was like a night and day difference. I'll report back on how things go from here. __________________ 46 Gallon Bow Front 50 Lbs. live rock 1" Sand Bed Remora-S skimmer Last edited by dmh8801; 02/16/2016 at 07:43 PM. Reason: Left out about GFO and carbon

02/16/2016, 10:42 PM	#128
CStrickland Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: New England, U.S. Posts: 4,595	I would expect some immediate perking from coral just due to stirring up detritus. They love that stuff. I hope the good results continue long-term. __________________ If you're havin tank problems I feel bad for you, son. I got 99 problems but a fish ain't one Current Tank Info: 3/2016 upgrade to 120g. Chalk bass, melanurus, firefish, starry blenny, canary blenny, lyretail anthias, engineer gobys, kole tang. Softies / LPS / NPS. <3 noob4life <3

02/22/2016, 05:49 PM	#129
dmh8801 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Lakeland, FL Posts: 87	Thanks CStrickland. One week in after my major vacuum job and the tank is still looking great. Very glad I did it. __________________ 46 Gallon Bow Front 50 Lbs. live rock 1" Sand Bed Remora-S skimmer

12/02/2016, 05:52 AM	#131
salty joe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: medina, ohio Posts: 2,419	You mention that some tanks you look after don't have a skimmer. You also mention getting a skimmer before you vacuum sand. Do you vacuum sand on systems with no skimmer? I ask because keeping sand turned over makes sense to me and I don't use a skimmer. __________________ Time to roll the dice.

04/19/2017, 02:57 PM	#133
Behroz Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 19	from DSB to 1 inch Hello. i have 150 gl reef whit DSB but always i have problem . can you please let me know how from DSB i go to 1 inch sand bed ? Thanks ben

02/16/2016, 04:59 PM	#126
edward1096 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 73	Mixing up the sand bed weekly is a really good idea to get rid of all the waste that builds up in your tank. I would recommend for any size tank followed by water change.

12/02/2016, 05:21 AM	#130
rcypert Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Miami Posts: 435	I take care of about 8 tanks for friends and people I have met through work. When I started out caring for tanks there were some filthy tanks. Some sandbeds had an inch thick layer of crap on top. I needed to vacuum it. So I started really light just a little at a time only do part of the tank. Bullcrap. It's all myth. Finally after playing with it. I just vacuum the heck out of them now. Everytime I see a new tank I don't care if it's 1 or 3 inches thick I vacuum it. All the way down. It has never hurt a single thing. It has only made it better. My sandbed at home has always been fairly clean so I never felt the need to vacuum it. But I started doing mine. It helps. All tanks I look after are saltwater. Some with skimmers and without. All different types of setups and livestock. Don't just stir it. Vacuum it. Kick your skimmer on high make sure it's working good and go to town on that sand. If you don't have a skimmer get one first. A good one. Vacuum your sand. Your tank will appreciate it

12/21/2016, 05:48 PM	#132
Griff500 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: A green place near London, UK Posts: 172	This is a great thread. Shouldn't it be a sticky?

03/24/2018, 12:04 PM	#134
Pipefitter533 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Kansas City Posts: 1	this is very good point and the way i am going thx

03/24/2018, 05:20 PM	#135
Cstone123 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Location: Marshall mi Posts: 36	I strongly agree. I am fortunate. When I started this hobby my son was already 10 years into the hobby so he helped me with several items I would have struggled with. One of his first suggestions was to put in a course sand. Reason: it’s heavier, so during a vacuum it tumbles in the vacuum tube releasing all of the detritus ( poop ) while the sand falls back to earth. I actually use a small tube for tight areas and a big tube for the main field. I have a 90 gal with lots of rock so I can only vacuumed the outside edges as I can reach. I’m guessing I get 35% of the bed at best. But what I do vacuumed is like milk coming out of the same. The longer I wait the worse it is. For the remainder of my bed I keep 2 sand sifting cucumbers that help a lot. I have to be carful when I go digging with my small tube so I don’t hit them. The sand creates its own ecosystem, stuff that eats and stuff that rots. I call it a compost bed. It’s like changing the sheets on my bed. I can’t see it, but it’s there. Like a second hand smoke or a drive in farm country, fish don’t like it either. Poop is poop. Get it out.......