When you’re trying to maintain a reef tank over a longer period of time, cleanliness is the key to success. Not only do aquariums generate more waste products than we often suspect, but they aren’t always equipped to neutralize these chemicals on their own. Fortunately, there are several different methods that can help get rid of these substances as they develop, keeping your tank healthy and thriving. These are a few effective ways to keep your reef tank’s sand bed clean.
Increase Your Tank’s Water Flow
The first thing you can do to prevent waste build-up is to increase the rate of your tank’s water flow through your pumping system. Water flow is essential for a variety of tank functions, such as feeding your corals and evenly distributing nutrients. However, it also works well to stir up some of the sand at the bottom of the tank and unearth any particles that shouldn’t be there. This makes them much simpler to remove during your weekly water changes.
Vacuum the Sand Regularly
Making vacuuming a regular part of your maintenance routine is also a great way to keep your reef tank’s sand bed clean. Even frequent water changes don’t remove all of the waste from your aquarium. As such, you may need to start vacuuming a little more often to maintain the chemical levels you want. Tank vacuums work by creating pressure within a piece of underwater tubing. This device then sucks out dirtied water and particles from within the sand bed.
Incorporate Cleaners In Your Ecosystem
Another effective method is to place a series of cleaning organisms in your tank. Specimens such as starfish, snails, and small crabs all feed on the waste products left behind after feeding your fish. Many of them will often spend their day sifting through the sand to pull up these particles. Because of this, they can be really beneficial for keeping your aquarium’s chemical levels under control.
Purchase the Right Type of Coral
Corals can do more for your tank than just give it a beautiful display. In fact, they can also be effective cleaners depending on the type you purchase. Zoanthid corals, in particular, thrive in chemical-rich water because they feed off of a diverse range of particles. They’re also very hardy and can withstand even heavy chemical changes, making them a useful component in any marine environment.
For quality zoas for sale, reach out to World Wide Corals. We carefully grow our specimens through a process called aquaculture, which produces hardy coral for sale while preserving the ocean’s wild reefs. This is why we can confidently say that our corals are some of the most durable ones you can put in your tank.
