[RHINO13]

Hello Lee,

In reading your link about the Bumble Bee Snails,
I read that they recommend 1 Nassarius for every 2 gal. of water.

So in my 46, I should have around 20 of them?
Does that sound about right?

[leebca]

I have to admit that I have never followed any stocking rule for my FOWLR aquariums. I know how I feed (I overfeed), I know what other clean up crew I have (if I have other detritus and carnivore cleanup crew members I need fewer Nassarius), I know what I'm feeding (are my fishes carnivores and will I be adding a lot of 'meats' to the aquarium), and finally it depends upon the size of the snail.

I'm not trying to dodge your question. If you are considering the very small Nassarius, and they are the only carnivore clean up crew members, and you'll be putting into the tank frozen fish foods of whole organism and flesh type, then 20 is about right.

[RHINO13]

Thanks Lee,

I guess im more concerned with them keeping my sand bed "turned over", since my tank is to small for any other sand sifters.That is that im aware of.
I would love to get my hands on some Cerith Snails but I can't find them at any of the LFS that ive been to.

Do you have any recommendations on anything else I could keep in such small tank, that will help keep my Sand bed stirred up?

My sand bed is 60# of Aragamax Sand and it ranges from 2" to 3" deep

Do you know any places to purchase some Cerith's (im in So Cal)?

[leebca]

So CA is a pretty big place for almost any kind of marine life. Still, if you're having trouble finding just what you want, go online and search the different clean up crew providers. You could ask your LFS to pick some up for you the next time they go to LAX to get fish and marine life.

In an aquarium that size the best you can count upon for working the sand bed would be bristleworms. Many kinds come with live rock, but if the rock you've acquired wasn't that diverse you can import bristleworms from online sources.

Nassarius snails do churn the substrate, but not very deeply and not very much. They primarily just hide there.

The thickness of your substrate is sort of 'no man's land.' It's not truly thick enough to be a deep sand bed and perform the functions thereof, nor is it decorative (of about 1 or 1.5"). The thickness you've chosen may pose some problems keeping it from forming anoxic pockets.

Sand sifting fishes may be a good choice for working the sand.

[RHINO13]

Thanks Lee,

About my sand bed, should I add more sand? Or am I screwed?

I can see some 1/16" to 1/8" bubbles in the sand up against the glass of the tank. Is that bad? I noticed them after I kind of stirred the sand bed along the glass when scraping algae off the glass down there?

[leebca]

I've moved these posts to their own thread.

To answer your questions, I will need to know what you expect or want from the sand bed? Is it to function as a deep sand bed (DSB) and provide nitrification? See: Denitrification v. Nitrification

If the substrate is to act as a DSB then you'll want to control the DSB particle mix (size) and then don't disturb it -- ever. In this case you're not looking for 'things' to stir it up (from top to bottom) since a part of the bed will be anoxic in nature to promote the nitrification.

Bubbles? Depends. If it is nitrogen gas, then the bed is performing some nitrification. If it is hydrogen sulfide, then the bed is breaking down trapped organics into the poisonous gas.

I'd urge new or novice marine aquarists to stick with a substrate in a FOWLR system that is for visual effects only. After time and expertise, then the aquarist may experiment with other systems, including the DSB. Then, a way to experiment with a DSB is to setup a refugium based upon the DSB philosophy and try it out that way.

[RHINO13]

Ok Lee, So in my case since im a newbie. And this is my first saltwater tank.

Should I remove sand?

This tank has been set up like this with about 50 lbs of live rock since 12/17/06 I got my first 0 in nitrates about 2 weeks ago ( had another source confirm)

I guess I like the sand bed for "looks" but if I can have help my tank out by adding another 1" or 2, and if it is possible at this point? I would do so

About the bubbles is there anyway to tell if they are harmful?

I noticed them after I kind of stirred the sand bed along the glass when scraping algae off the glass down there?

The reason I did this was because there was some algae on the glass near the sand bed and by me messing with my power heads and trying to get the flow right in my tank. It rearranged my sand bed for me and the algae was now under the sand bed. That was probably over a month ago. So about a week ago I got sick of seeing it and got in there and tried to scrape it off. It kind of just dissolved in the sand( because I had to stir the sand a little in order to try and scrape the glass under the sand)

In doing what I just explained, could this cause a 2nd Diatom outbreak on my sand bed?

The only other thing that I have been doing out of the norm, is I have been trying to raise my calcium with Kent Marine Tech CB Calcium Buffer Part A+B
(I have raised it from 360 ppm to 400 in about a week)

I got one(diatoms outbreak) about one week after initial set-up and it lasted about 2 weeks.

Thanks so much for all the help!

[leebca]

Ryan,

I'm assuming that since you're posting in the Saltwater (Fish-Only) Aquariums Forum that the interest you have is a FOWLR system. If this is true, the deep sand bed is not necessary. Fish are not threatened by medium to high nitrate levels. Most clean up crew members are tolerant of medium to high nitrate levels.

Since there is a risk of a DSB generating hydrogen sulfide if not setup, maintained and cared for properly and since it is not necessary in the case of a FOWLR system, and lastly it is there for looks in your case, I'd suggest removing substrate to about the 1 to 1.5 inch depth.

Live rock, though expensive, is an easier means to keep nitrates reduced. Having about 2 pounds of LR per gallon volume of the system is the target.

If my original assumption is wrong; you are not setting up a FOWLR system, then the DSB is a means to control nitrates. A DSB ranging from 4 to 6 inches with most aquarists favoring the high side, left undisturbed, will reduce nitrates.

There is a salt water test for hydrogen sulfide. Never used it myself so I'm unsure how sensitive it is and how reliable it might be. That is one way to see if hydrogen sulfides are being produced in the system. Another means is to smell the water. If it has any smell other than a fresh salt water smell to it, then something is off. If it smells of rotten eggs, there is a significant amount of hydrogen sulfide in the water. Other than these, only a laboratory analysis will be a certain verification that the bubbles are not sulfides.

"Brown algae" outbreaks will wax and wane as the tank matures. They are encouraged by water quality and available nutrients. There are too many variables involved to be more specific on what is causing their appearance and disappearance. Disappearance is good, obviously. Nitrates as well as other nutrients and tank conditions are involved, such as phosphates, silica, organics, lighting, etc.

Now is the time to make any changes you deem necessary. You want the tank to continue to mature and settle. Happy to help!