# Cleaning Live sand



## Totem44 (Mar 15, 2011)

How do I go about cleaning sand in my reef tank, it seems to be getting a little chunky with what looks like algea. I know that I need to keep nitrates and phosphates down (which they are ) but I would like to clean it up for the looks. Just ordered a aquatic life 115 protein skimmer, haven't needed it for the first couple months.
Thanks


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

if you stir it up somehow, break it apart and get the algae underneath in the dark, it'll die off.. you can also just vacuum the top layer off...


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## AZDesertRat (Apr 10, 2009)

If its a deep sand bed (3-5" or more) and true live sand, leave it alone and let a clean up crew take care of it. Stirring it releases anaerobic bacteria and toxins that need to stay deep. 
If its less than say 2-4" then stir and vacuum since its not deep enougn to support anoxic and anaerobic bacterias for nitrogen removal.


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## phys (Feb 4, 2011)

On a different note, by getting a sand sifting conch or other sand sifting invert, the sand will continuously be stirred around. This will help decrease the amounts of bad toxins in the sand. Compared to the live rock and macro algae, deep anerobic sand bacteria is minimal in the effects of ammonia and nitrite removal. I've no problems in my tanks with sand bed toxins, nitrates, nitrites or ammonia due to the conch, lots of live rock and a fair amount of chaetomorpha and proper feeding intervals.


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## Totem44 (Mar 15, 2011)

Thanks for the info guys, I bought some cerith snails a few days ago and they seem to be doing the job


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