TanisD Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Hello I currently have sand in my tank for about a month now and I am starting to worry about food and waste building up underneath the sand. I have stingrays and some botia and corys in my tanks. I'm looking for any suggestions for fish or equipment that would sift the sand so stuff wont build up in it. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Have you tried weather loaches? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrosionjerry Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 What size of Sillica did you use? In anycase in my oppinion the best size is #8 as you dont have the gas problem building up under the surface of the sand with it because of the particle size / its still small enough that exess food and waste sits on top of it for easy vacuming... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JORG Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 An easy solution is to keep your sand under an inch in depth that will ensure your fish mix it up while picking for food etc. You could also try the ram type snails they dig in the sand all the time, I'm unsure if stingrays eat snails thou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
syno321 Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Horseface loaches spend 95% of their time covertly operating in the sand bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TanisD Posted May 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Awesome guys thanks! I have extremely fine sand as anything else is too rough on my young stingrays as they get older though I will be switching to very smooth fine gravel. I'm gonna go grab some of those loaches and snails today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TanisD Posted May 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 Oh and does anyone know where there is any weather of horseface loaches right now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Chicklets Posted May 3, 2009 Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 I don't know where you would get the loaches, but I could give you some Ramshorn snails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TanisD Posted May 3, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2009 I don't know where you would get the loaches, but I could give you some Ramshorn snails. That would be awesome. I have apple snails will that help at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppygirl Posted May 4, 2009 Report Share Posted May 4, 2009 Malaysian Trumpet Snails are good substrate turners. They burrow and eat during the day in the gravel and sand and come to the surface during the night. They are also livebearers-as in little snails are born no ugly jelly nests. I have an over abundance of them in one of my guppy tanks and the young seem to die quite frequently but that was due to an overpopulation due to over feeding baby guppies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duh duh duh Posted May 4, 2009 Report Share Posted May 4, 2009 Malaysian Trumpet Snails are good substrate turners. They burrow and eat during the day in the gravel and sand and come to the surface during the night. They are also livebearers-as in little snails are born no ugly jelly nests. I have an over abundance of them in one of my guppy tanks and the young seem to die quite frequently but that was due to an overpopulation due to over feeding baby guppies. I second the malaysian trumpet snails. I added a bunch of small ones about a month ago and the build up of dead materials and waste has decreased by at least 75% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TanisD Posted May 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2009 Oh ok well any ideas on where I can find those guys? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
African_Fever Posted May 4, 2009 Report Share Posted May 4, 2009 What kind of rays do you have, and how large are they? Your rays should be able to mix up your sand enough unless you have an overly deep sandbed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TanisD Posted May 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2009 What kind of rays do you have, and how large are they? Your rays should be able to mix up your sand enough unless you have an overly deep sandbed. Motoros they are fairly small right now though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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