How should I go about getting some of the nasty stuff thats accumulating on my sand bed out of the tank? I tried syphoning it off, but it didn't really work... tried scooping it out, but that didn't work either. Most of the stuff is crud that fell off my LR when I first put it in the tank, and I haven't been able to get it out.

Any ideas?

do you have coarse grain crushed coral, or is it sand?

a good clean up crew will usually handle most of this, what do you have for a cleanup crew?

Its just sand, and lots of it.

I've got a decent cleanup crew in there. Something like 40 hermit crabs, some emerald crabs, 6 peppermint shrimp, a sandsifting seastar (despite people saying how they just starve themselves to death), a lawnmower blenny, a couple of filter clams, and a crapload of turbo snails. They go about cleaning everything pretty nicely, but not the dirty stuff on the bottom.

try to create a "sea storm" by occasionally direct the powerhead onto the sand. when the "dirty" stuff are in the water, siphon that out. also if u do that often, they will be more likely to be skimmed. hope this helps! =]

Hey thats a good idea. I'll give it a shot on friday when I do my water change.

Thanks :)

let me and us know how that works

Do you have a gravel vaccuum?

Do you have a gravel vaccuum?

Nope. Do you really think that would work? seems like it'd suck up a lot of sand too.

How big is your tank? How fine is your sand? How old is your tank?

Nope. Do you really think that would work? seems like it'd suck up a lot of sand too.
Yes, I think it would work. You can adjust the flow. I bet that I can vaccuum your entire sand bed and not lose more than a few grains of sand.

Used crushed coral and coarse sand and had no problem vaccuming. The fine sugar sand... well the vacuum sucks everything up.

Yes, I think it would work. You can adjust the flow. I bet that I can vaccuum your entire sand bed and not lose more than a few grains of sand.
i would agree as long as its not very fine sand.
that stuff gets suspended in the water and wont settle out very fast.

if its larger grain sizes your will be fine. i know i could never touch my sand bed with a vacuum but mine is quite fine grain size

It's not like powder thin, but its pretty fine. I'll see if I can find a cheap vacuum and check it out.

Tank bottom is 18" by 48". Sand bed ranges from 3 to 4 inches... so I guess I could stand to lose a few grains if I can't find another way.