recycling substrate?

tiller25 · 05/28/2008, 10:24 PM

i just bought a 120g tank today for my new reef. i currently have a 75g african cichlid tank running that i used carib-sea aragonite reef special grade for the substrate. i am planning on taking down the african tank since i have my new reef tank. my question is if i can use the substrate from the african tank since i want to use the same substrate. any thoughts on this? thanks for any and all opinions.

justsomeguy · 05/28/2008, 10:34 PM

I wouldn't reuse the sand if you are switching from cichlids to a reef tank, but that's just my opinion. Hopefully, others will chime in.

drillsar · 05/28/2008, 10:53 PM

Never reuse the sand, the sand is actually poisonous if moved. for a 120 gal tank, depends if you want to go with a shallow bed or DSB. for a dsb you will need approximate 250lbs of sand, so cheap way of doing this would purchase Dry Aragmax about 230lbs of that and 20 lbs of real Live Sand from local lfs. Or you can go Shallow Bed 1" to 2", DSB 4" to 6" or no sand at all.

Gold Stripe · 05/28/2008, 11:02 PM

Yes you can reuse it as long as there were no chemicals used in it like copper. I would rinse it as well as possible by running some salt water through it and draining it off while still stired. You want it stired as much as possible to clear it of the dead anerobic bacteria. (Sulfer smell)

You will obviously also experience a cycle in the new tank. By the time the tank is aquascaped with live rock and the cycle is complete Everything should be ok with the substrate.

Give it a good 3 to 4 week cycle minimum and you should be good to go. I have done it before with no problems, Just make sure it is stired and rinsed well.

ludnix · 05/29/2008, 01:23 AM

I would totally clean out the sand until it was like new again by rinsing over and over in freshwater.

ludnix · 05/29/2008, 01:30 AM

EDIT: Double post

rjsilvers · 05/29/2008, 02:11 AM

You're probably going to get a lot of different opinions on this...

My opinion is that I would use it if I rinsed it really, really, really well...

Anything bad that's in the sand I don't think will survive in the new water and you will probably have a huge cycle which nothing should live through.

Paul B · 05/29/2008, 04:29 AM

The sand will be no problem. I personally would (and have many times) bleach it with a little "Regular" bleach like "Regular Clorox"
About a tablespoon to 5 gallons of water. In a week rinse it a few times and put in two times the recommended amount of chlorine remover. Rinse it a few times and if there is no bleach smell, use it. It must be "Regular Bleach" no scents.
I do this for rocks and sometimes for NSW.
Bleach is chlorine gas in water and will evaporate leaving nothing in the water.

drillsar · 05/29/2008, 09:27 AM

Why bother with all this? Just get Dry Aragamax sand and get some Live SAnd from LFS.

Jay1982 · 05/29/2008, 01:34 PM

because its cheaper than buying new sand

tiller25 · 05/29/2008, 02:23 PM

thanks for all the awesome responses. i am going to give it a go. i have never added any meds to the cichlid tank nor as there been an disease in the tank for me to feel nervous about it. thanks again.

05/28/2008, 10:24 PM	#1
tiller25 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NC Posts: 137	recycling substrate? i just bought a 120g tank today for my new reef. i currently have a 75g african cichlid tank running that i used carib-sea aragonite reef special grade for the substrate. i am planning on taking down the african tank since i have my new reef tank. my question is if i can use the substrate from the african tank since i want to use the same substrate. any thoughts on this? thanks for any and all opinions. __________________ I know that one day, human beings and fish can coexist peacefully.

05/28/2008, 11:02 PM	#4
Gold Stripe Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 977	Yes you can reuse it as long as there were no chemicals used in it like copper. I would rinse it as well as possible by running some salt water through it and draining it off while still stired. You want it stired as much as possible to clear it of the dead anerobic bacteria. (Sulfer smell) You will obviously also experience a cycle in the new tank. By the time the tank is aquascaped with live rock and the cycle is complete Everything should be ok with the substrate. Give it a good 3 to 4 week cycle minimum and you should be good to go. I have done it before with no problems, Just make sure it is stired and rinsed well. __________________ I swear its the last coral I will buy honey ...... I promise!

05/29/2008, 01:23 AM	#5
ludnix Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,031	I would totally clean out the sand until it was like new again by rinsing over and over in freshwater. __________________ -Eric Sutter Current Tank Info: 14g Biocube

05/29/2008, 01:30 AM	#6
ludnix Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: California Posts: 3,031	EDIT: Double post __________________ -Eric Sutter Current Tank Info: 14g Biocube

05/29/2008, 04:29 AM	#8
Paul B Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 15,549	The sand will be no problem. I personally would (and have many times) bleach it with a little "Regular" bleach like "Regular Clorox" About a tablespoon to 5 gallons of water. In a week rinse it a few times and put in two times the recommended amount of chlorine remover. Rinse it a few times and if there is no bleach smell, use it. It must be "Regular Bleach" no scents. I do this for rocks and sometimes for NSW. Bleach is chlorine gas in water and will evaporate leaving nothing in the water. __________________ I used to get shocked when I put my hand in my tank. Then the electric eel went dead. Current Tank Info: 100 gal reef set up in 1971

05/28/2008, 10:34 PM	#2
justsomeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Vermont Posts: 144	I wouldn't reuse the sand if you are switching from cichlids to a reef tank, but that's just my opinion. Hopefully, others will chime in.

05/28/2008, 10:53 PM	#3
drillsar Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: West Orange, NJ Posts: 2,838	Never reuse the sand, the sand is actually poisonous if moved. for a 120 gal tank, depends if you want to go with a shallow bed or DSB. for a dsb you will need approximate 250lbs of sand, so cheap way of doing this would purchase Dry Aragmax about 230lbs of that and 20 lbs of real Live Sand from local lfs. Or you can go Shallow Bed 1" to 2", DSB 4" to 6" or no sand at all.

05/29/2008, 02:11 AM	#7
rjsilvers Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 537	You're probably going to get a lot of different opinions on this... My opinion is that I would use it if I rinsed it really, really, really well... Anything bad that's in the sand I don't think will survive in the new water and you will probably have a huge cycle which nothing should live through.

05/29/2008, 09:27 AM	#9
drillsar Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: West Orange, NJ Posts: 2,838	Why bother with all this? Just get Dry Aragamax sand and get some Live SAnd from LFS.

05/29/2008, 01:34 PM	#10
Jay1982 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Doc Brown's Mansion Posts: 704	because its cheaper than buying new sand __________________ 1.21 Gigawatts?! 1.21 Gigawatts!?! Current Tank Info: 135 reef tank, 50 gallon turtle aquarium, 1.21 Gigawatts?!

05/29/2008, 02:23 PM	#11
tiller25 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NC Posts: 137	thanks for all the awesome responses. i am going to give it a go. i have never added any meds to the cichlid tank nor as there been an disease in the tank for me to feel nervous about it. thanks again. __________________ I know that one day, human beings and fish can coexist peacefully.