Cleaning the sand bed

[Hammer fish]

Hi new to this please advise can i clean my sand bed by siphoning up debris then putting the water back in my tank if it passes through a filter sock or stocking type thing will the water still be ok to add Back to my tank thanks

 

[spoonman]

I would vacuum the sand when you do water changes. I would not put the water back in the tank.

 

[melosu58]

I would vacuum the sand when you do water changes. I would not put the water back in the tank.

I totally agree

 

[Hammer fish]

Ok thanks for that will do it on a water change then thanks for that

 

[Dav3]

A question was missed here. How deep is your sandbed? You don't want to disturb a deep sand bed.

 

[Hammer fish]

Sand bed is only at the most 2 inch at the most only shallow really it's a jewel 350 with a 70 litre sump coral and fish in it

 

[mr_X]

I would not disturb it. Just increase the flow so that particulate matter doesn't fall to the sand before your filtration can remove it.

 

[Hammer fish]

My tank has an overflow so it will always fall to the bottom if I move my wave machines it just moves it all over the place

 

[mr_X]

That's what the "wave machines" are supposed to do....keep the stuff in the water column until your filtration can remove it completely. You do not want uneaten food and fish poop laying around, even for a few days.

 

[Hammer fish]

So to keep moving the wave machines every day to keep the sand bed clear is the best thing to do then clear it more during water changes that sounds good to me thanks

 

[Hammer fish]

Also they tend to move the sand and are pushing the corals should I just use them to run quickly over the sand bed then reset them so my corals are not getting to much flow

 

[mr_X]

Which corals are you speaking of and how much does it move them?

 

[Hammer fish]

I have quite a few corals only name I know are hammers they get pushed the same way a lot so have to set my two machines so as not to keep pushing them the same way all the time

 

[mr_X]

What do you mean pushed? Do you mean the current blows the flesh a bit or does it move the entire coral, base and all?

 

[Hammer fish]

Tends to just blow the flesh in the same direction quite hard so have to get them right so this don't happen

 

[mr_X]

Try aiming the two power heads at each other. This should make a fairly random current all over the place.

 

[Hammer fish]

Ok will try that thanks will get back a let you know