Adding livestocks to DSB

[vt_snowman87]

hi all,

just wondering do reefers utilising DSBs put anything inside? sand stars? sand dollars?

my DSB is in the sump, has a space of 2ft x 1ft, 6inches high.

is our purpose to loosen the sand? (in this case what do u think of adding convict blennies, powerful engineers)

or to NOT touch the sand? (zero livestocks)

your experiences, advises, and suggestions please..

[Ah-lim]

Hi,

you do not need to put any livestock to disturb the sandbed or loosen the sand.

Let the DSB serve it purpose by leaving there with gentle flow above, thats all.

[vt_snowman87]

thanks bro!

any other opinions?

[Gouldian]

Hi Bro,

During my 3 ft tank days, I used to have Alpheus randalli in my 6in DSB.

[vt_snowman87]

Hi Bro,

During my 3 ft tank days, I used to have Alpheus randalli in my 6in DSB.

a pistol shrimp!?! thats an interesting thing to add..

[tigershark]

a pistol shrimp!?! thats an interesting thing to add..

sand shifting star or sea cucumber (those black colour type) would be a good choice. shifting the DSB would be benefit as it could reduce the chances of DSB caking... if u have algea grown on the sandbed, these 2 creatures can help to control it as well.

[zipp86]

no sand shifting star! it will eat all the good fauna in your sandbead

go for hermits and nassa snails.

[Terryz_]

Nassarius snail is a good choice... Conch too...

As they will burrow themselves in the sand in the day and that will loosen up the sand and prevent solidification of the sand..

Brittlestars, Heart Urchin... If you dun mind seeing a big long thing on your sand bed, sea cukes is a good choice too...

If for fishes, Not much to recommend, other than the difficult to keep two spot goby.. The other sand shifting goby are really terror to reefer as they tend to bomb the corals on/nearby the sandbed...

[vt_snowman87]

sand shifting star or sea cucumber (those black colour type) would be a good choice. shifting the DSB would be benefit as it could reduce the chances of DSB caking... if u have algea grown on the sandbed, these 2 creatures can help to control it as well.

thanks bro, i was thinking abt theose black sand cukes too..

no sand shifting star! it will eat all the good fauna in your sandbead

go for hermits and nassa snails.

yeap i have the same sentiments, worried that the sand sifter star will do more harm than good..

Nassarius snail is a good choice... Conch too...

As they will burrow themselves in the sand in the day and that will loosen up the sand and prevent solidification of the sand..

Brittlestars, Heart Urchin... If you dun mind seeing a big long thing on your sand bed, sea cukes is a good choice too...

If for fishes, Not much to recommend, other than the difficult to keep two spot goby.. The other sand shifting goby are really terror to reefer as they tend to bomb the corals on/nearby the sandbed...

thanks bro terryz, ya currently have some nassarius inside already, leftover from my old tank.. but my dsb is in my sump so there isn't any corals inside actually.. haha, was thinking it would be interesting to have engineer gobies since they're known to dig massive tunnels.. :D:D

[Ah-lim]

What is the function of a DSB?

is there any differences between a DSB and sand bed?

think..................................

[georgekoh84]

DSB traps water pockets to create a anaerobic zone for cultivating bacteria that will digest nitrates to nitrogen gas, the truly last portion of the cycle. However because of the deep sand bed, sand stirrers are required to move the sand and release toxic gases in small portions before it reaches dangerous levels. Another advantage is using aragonite sand with would help buff the calcium levels in the water by a small percentile. Disadvantages is without sufficient sand stirrers, and if a large amount of toxic gas is released, all livestock would be wiped out. A thin sand bed gives a natural look to the tank, and also holds bacterias like liverocks does. Copepods and other tiny cruscateans can also thrive well within live sand.

I personally think Nassarius snails, sand dollars are excellent sand sifters that spend most of their time underneath the sand, filtering unconsumed food.

Correct me if im wrong pls..

[vt_snowman87]

DSB traps water pockets to create a anaerobic zone for cultivating bacteria that will digest nitrates to nitrogen gas, the truly last portion of the cycle. However because of the deep sand bed, sand stirrers are required to move the sand and release toxic gases in small portions before it reaches dangerous levels. Another advantage is using aragonite sand with would help buff the calcium levels in the water by a small percentile. Disadvantages is without sufficient sand stirrers, and if a large amount of toxic gas is released, all livestock would be wiped out. A thin sand bed gives a natural look to the tank, and also holds bacterias like liverocks does. Copepods and other tiny cruscateans can also thrive well within live sand.

I personally think Nassarius snails, sand dollars are excellent sand sifters that spend most of their time underneath the sand, filtering unconsumed food.

Correct me if im wrong pls..

thanks bro, but with a 6" dsb, what livestocks could dig so deep? nasarius & dollars only hang around at the first 1 or 2 inches with my experiences with them.. that was why the idea of engineer gobies came up to me..

[Terryz_]

It is not needed for the critters to dig so deep... It so it will defeat the purpose of having the DSB... The purpose of the DSB is to develop a anaerobic environment for the anaerobic bacterias that will break down nitrate to nitrogen gas... And that environment is after the bottom 3-6 inch of your DSB...

[vt_snowman87]

It is not needed for the critters to dig so deep... It so it will defeat the purpose of having the DSB... The purpose of the DSB is to develop a anaerobic environment for the anaerobic bacterias that will break down nitrate to nitrogen gas... And that environment is after the bottom 3-6 inch of your DSB...

icic, thanks bro Terryz..

[georgekoh84]

To add on if im not mistakened, usually those uneaten food which starts to rot is at the upper 1inch lvl of sandbed, thats the portion that needs stirring and consumption.

[vt_snowman87]

To add on if im not mistakened, usually those uneaten food which starts to rot is at the upper 1inch lvl of sandbed, thats the portion that needs stirring and consumption.

thanks bro, will prolly add a few more nassa inside with some sand dollars.. think i'll pass on the sandsifter stars and fishes..

one of the reasons to no fishes being i have a pair of cleaner shrimps inside the refugium now, they used to always spawn.. so let's see with this new setup of refugium how will they fare..

[Ah-lim]

It is not needed for the critters to dig so deep... It so it will defeat the purpose of having the DSB... The purpose of the DSB is to develop a anaerobic environment for the anaerobic bacterias that will break down nitrate to nitrogen gas... And that environment is after the bottom 3-6 inch of your DSB...

Terryz, you are right. There is absolutely no need for any critters on top, probably a shrimp but with enough flow, there would not be a need.....

There is no need to worry abt caking of sand in the DSB as the critters living in the sand [fauna, tiny tube worms, etc etc] will handle them.

A gd read on sand bed.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-06/rs/feature/index.php

btw, can link other forums here?