Gravel Vacuum In Marine

[Nickotopolous]

Do you vacuum your coral sand?

 

[match55]

I don't, but I believe you can.
cuz everytime I siphon, sand with follow out.

 

[AMDPhenomX4]

It depends if I need to. If their is any fish waste, or algae on the sand or rocks, I usually syphon it out.

 

[thominil]

IME, you shouldn't have to. Your CUC should do that for you.

 

[melosu58]

IME, you shouldn't have to. Your CUC should do that for you.

I agree. Let your CUC do it for you.

 

[ryshark]

I think it depends what type of substrate you have. When you say "gravel" it makes me think you have crushed coral.... either that or bright purple freshwater fish gravel. Anyway, the crushed coral gets VERY diry, I know this from my first tank and I will never have crushed coral again. If you do have crushed coral, I doubt you have enough or an efficient cleanup crew and you probably should vacuum once a month or so. If you have sand then I would do what everybody else suggested, nothing. Unless it starts to look bad, then look into getting a diamond watchman goby.

 

[Zer0]

I agree with ryshark completely on the crushed coral. Overall, it is not a good option for reef tanks or inverts, because crushed coral can cause an excess of nitrates, and too high of nitrates are bad for both. Only thing though, is if you have CC, you want to thoroughly clean it, all the way to the bottom of the crushed coral layers, or you wont get all of the nasty stuff that lays undetected under the crushed coral.. rotting away. And that is the stuff that causes the excess of nitrates. I would say clean it a little more frequently then once very month though. And if possible, change over to sand whenever, or if you ever get the chance to. It will make all the difference in your tank. You won't even need to clean the sand either because your clean up crew will find it easier to eat the detritus that builds up on the top layer of sand, rather then all the way at the bottom layer of crushed coral, where they can barely get to. Sandbeds ftw.