Stir up that sandbed

Radiography14 · #1 12/02/2007, 11:45 PM

I also with my hands once a week stir up the sand bed. all the fich muck and stuff comes out. skim it out......i noticed that all my sps colors come out better like 15min after all of this.. why is this? i mean really nice colors with the polyps extended nicely.

dwd5813 · #2 12/03/2007, 01:23 AM

feeding response?

Blown 346 · #3 12/03/2007, 03:47 AM

I dont know if stirring the sand is a great idea. You can stir up some bad gases which can affect your tank and cause a crash or cycle.

808-340 · #4 12/03/2007, 04:09 AM

just out of curiosity... is this a dsb? if it is, i hear it's not a good idea to do that...

Blown 346 · #5 12/03/2007, 04:17 AM

It isnt a good idea to stir up any depth sand bed since there is Anaerobic bacteria that can be released which can casue harm.

kathainbowen · #6 12/03/2007, 06:11 AM

The debate continues.

Stirring up a sand bed has long been a subject of debate. Some people argue that, to disturb a sandbed, is to risk hitting an "anoxic pocket," as in an area where there has been little to no oxygen or movement of the sand, and their argument continues that disturbing an anoxic pocket will release toxins into the tank that have built up in the pocket but could not be broken down in that "dead patch" (I've heard it described as a "noxious belch," and that really aptly describes what can happen). Other people argue that you should disturb the sand bed to avoid such a thing from happening. There has been evidence to both sides of the story, although, IMHO, a more than overwhelming amount of evidence leaning towards the DO NOT argument.

Regardless of the "anoxic pocket" argument, I don't personally believe in stirring a sandbed. Why? Because a healthy sandbed is teaming with all sorts of micro and macro life that wouldn't much appeciate being disturbed. Feather dusters (especially cluster dusters), worms, nassarius snails (oh, they really don't seem to appreciate being dredged up), etc.

diverdick · #7 12/03/2007, 06:22 AM

That brings a question from me........

I have been planning to connect two of my reefs together. A 65 gal (bout 1 year old) and a 125 (bout 3 moths old). The one significant hange that I "was" going to make is to completely move the fuge from the 65 (remove ~ 5" DSB) into a common sump / fuge to run both systems.

Reading the comments above, that would be bad! Anyone ever try to move fuge sand? Please comment either way.

Thanks a bunch!

--Rich aka diverdick

dwd5813 · #8 12/03/2007, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blown 346
It isnt a good idea to stir up any depth sand bed since there is Anaerobic bacteria that can be released which can casue harm.

i thought that a sandbed less than 5 inches deep would not allow for the formation of anaerobic pockets, thus making stirring it not a big deal. also, the op stated that this is done every week. how long does it take to build up a hazardous condition, assuming that the sand is deep enough?

m2434 · #9 12/03/2007, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dwd5813
i thought that a sandbed less than 5 inches deep would not allow for the formation of anaerobic pockets, thus making stirring it not a big deal. also, the op stated that this is done every week. how long does it take to build up a hazardous condition, assuming that the sand is deep enough?

More like 3" but depends on the grain of the sand. Finner sand will get anaerobic faster.

jcpatella · #10 12/03/2007, 10:37 AM

I've also heard arguments on both sides. I see the benefit in having biological processes occur deep in the sandbed, but I haven't come across any threads lately saying, "I stirred my sandbed and everything crashed!!!"

I've spoken with plenty of successful reef-keepers who stir the bed often. Personally, I don't, but I'll be sticking around to see if anyone who does is bold enough to post.

Steve01 · #11 12/03/2007, 10:57 AM

I stir/syphon the sand bed every 2 weeks when I do a water change. In my tank it's worse NOT to stir it. Otherwise my nitrates go up and hair algae takes over everything. My sand bed is 1 inch deep.

Zifer · #12 12/03/2007, 11:13 AM

they are eating the fish poop in the sand

Toddrtrex · #13 12/03/2007, 11:30 AM

In all 3 of my tanks my sandbeds are less then 2.5 inches deep, I gravel vac them every week when I do a water change, been doing that for many many years now with out my tanks crashing or any other ill effects ( or is it affects

)

808-340 · #14 12/03/2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by dwd5813
i thought that a sandbed less than 5 inches deep would not allow for the formation of anaerobic pockets, thus making stirring it not a big deal. also, the op stated that this is done every week. how long does it take to build up a hazardous condition, assuming that the sand is deep enough?

that's what i thought. if it was a dsb then the short answer is do not disturb... anything shallower, say 1" - 3", shouldn't be a problem... but then again...

Radiography14 · #15 12/03/2007, 12:43 PM

I think by stirring up the sandbed slowly. My sps are like having a feast with all the fish poop. My sand bed is mixed with florida sand bed with fine sand. Its about 2-3 inches deeps depending where it is in the tank. I think stirring up the sand bed here and there is like taking a gravel vac to the sand bed. same thing. plus the sandbed is all nice and white. makes the tank look pretty. I am not excluding that you can have the pockets of bad gases as well. I am willing to take that risk. I guess the risk is worth it to me because nothing has ever happened.

mcrist · #16 12/04/2007, 08:42 AM

I think it depends on how deep you stir up the sand bed. I like raking the top 1/2 inch or so.