Question on adding sand to established tank

Drewbaby · 03/11/2012, 07:53 PM

Seems pretty simple but I setup my 125 with plans of going bare bottom. I like look and the cleanliness, but some of my fish are annoyed without the sand. Its been over a month and my purple tang is still acting odd. He usually sleeps in the rocks on the sand.

Anyway I just broke down my 180 and I want to add that sand to the 125. What's the best way to go about this? The sand. is currently in the 180 with 2" of water on top. I'm worried about starting an ammonia spike in the 125 if I just scoop the sand from one tank to the other.

How would you do it?

Reefmedic79 · 03/11/2012, 08:25 PM

How deep is the sand in the 180?

How I would do it:

You will need a large funnel and 2.5 ft. of 1 in. PVC use this to get the sand to the bottom of the tank without if flowing all over the place.

If you have less than 2-3 inches I would just scoop it and put it in the new tank. Any deeper and I would do some rinsing.

It's unlikely to get an ammonia spike from it, but a Nitrate spike is more likely. Have some water ready for a couple water changes and you should be good.

Drewbaby · 03/11/2012, 08:49 PM

The sandbed in the 180 is around 2 1/2 to 3" and I would like to avoid rinsing if at all possible. I have an rodi system and thought about just doing a good 15-20% water change the day after adding the ssand

I like the funnel idea. I've got the PVC just need a funnel.

Agu · 03/11/2012, 09:43 PM

Typically with a DSB the top inch is OK to transfer to another tank. The rest is a an anorexic area with a lot of waste and other nasties. Scoop out a cup or two and smell it, if it doesn't stink it's fine to add to the new tank.

Personally I won't add any used sand to an established tank without a thorough rinse and cleaning.

jmo,

Drewbaby · 03/12/2012, 12:18 AM

What would be the best way to rinse sand?

Drewbaby · 03/12/2012, 07:42 AM

^^^^^

Mr. Demeanor · 03/12/2012, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drewbaby

What would be the best way to rinse sand?

X 2

I have to rinse quite a bit and have been thinking of how I am going to do it. Im not too worried about killing anything off as I have a lot of liverock that will get things going. I have a 3" sand bed in a 125.
My tentative plan is to put the sand in a bin with some salt water. Hook up a pump to a filter sock and start stirring the sand and let the sock filter the debris.

shifty51008 · 03/12/2012, 08:33 AM

put the sand in a 5 gal. bucket and run a garden hose through it while stiring the sand with your hand, when the water starts to come clean then you can move on with more.

shifty51008 · 03/12/2012, 08:34 AM

here is an article on it
http://www.melevsreef.com/rinsing_sand.html

Drewbaby · 03/12/2012, 10:15 AM

Thank you for the link and the advice I appreciate it

Drewbaby · 03/12/2012, 10:53 AM

OK so I just discovered my apartment complex doesn't have a single garden hose hookup anywhere.

Could I do this in a bathtub??

shifty51008 · 03/12/2012, 01:40 PM

a bathtub is fine, I do the same. just make sure to rinse the tub out good afterward or the wife will yell at you lol

HHIreefer843 · 03/12/2012, 01:50 PM

The garden hose wouldnt mess up the "live" part of the sand?

Drewbaby · 03/12/2012, 02:53 PM

I got about 20 lbs in so far and am going to give it a few days to balance out just in case. Ill test my nitrates periodically to see if it creeps up, but I think I rinsed it pretty well.

HHIreefer843 · 03/13/2012, 08:58 AM

with the garden hose?

shifty51008 · 03/14/2012, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHIreefer843

The garden hose wouldnt mess up the "live" part of the sand?

yes, the garden hose will kill off the sand, when transfering sand you only want to keep a cup or so of the old sand to re seed the rinsed sand.

HHIreefer843 · 03/14/2012, 08:27 AM

Ok bc What I'm doing now is moving my 90 so I'll have everything in a 150 gallon vat in the meantime. This gives me an opportunity to redo my sand bed. I bought 50 new lbs of sand, going to put that on the bottom and in the meantime I have about 30 lbs in a Tupperware in the vat, I'll keep about 5 pounds live and rinse the extra 25. Does that sound good?

shifty51008 · 03/14/2012, 02:14 PM

that sounds good.

the thing you want to avoid is stirring up the old sand bed and then reusing it. stirring up a used sandbed can create problems with nitrate, ammonia, ect. this is why alot of people will rinse it real good before reuseing it just take some from the top layer of the sand before stirring it up. the deeper you get the more harmful the sand gets.

hope that makes sence, I am still half asleep

HHIreefer843 · 03/14/2012, 04:04 PM

hahaha no worries it does make sense. what if i complete rinse it all and start from scratch. so ill have the brand new 50 lbs and 30 lbs that i can rinse completely. will my live rock re seed the rinsed sand?

shifty51008 · 03/14/2012, 04:06 PM

yes, the LR will seed the new sand

03/11/2012, 07:53 PM	#1
Drewbaby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: FL Posts: 874	Question on adding sand to established tank Seems pretty simple but I setup my 125 with plans of going bare bottom. I like look and the cleanliness, but some of my fish are annoyed without the sand. Its been over a month and my purple tang is still acting odd. He usually sleeps in the rocks on the sand. Anyway I just broke down my 180 and I want to add that sand to the 125. What's the best way to go about this? The sand. is currently in the 180 with 2" of water on top. I'm worried about starting an ammonia spike in the 125 if I just scoop the sand from one tank to the other. How would you do it?

03/11/2012, 08:25 PM	#2
Reefmedic79 Life and Reef Saver Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Tavares, Florida Posts: 6,202	How deep is the sand in the 180? How I would do it: You will need a large funnel and 2.5 ft. of 1 in. PVC use this to get the sand to the bottom of the tank without if flowing all over the place. If you have less than 2-3 inches I would just scoop it and put it in the new tank. Any deeper and I would do some rinsing. It's unlikely to get an ammonia spike from it, but a Nitrate spike is more likely. Have some water ready for a couple water changes and you should be good. __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>¸. ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> How much deeper would the ocean be if it didn't have sponges? P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sid Current Tank Info: 40 Breeder, 20L Sump, 10G Fuge, JBJ A.T.O, 4" Reef Octopus, DIY Stand & Canopy, RapidLED Dimmable 36 Kit on 3 6" MakersLED Heatsink, MP10es

03/11/2012, 09:43 PM	#4
Agu Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 30,279	Typically with a DSB the top inch is OK to transfer to another tank. The rest is a an anorexic area with a lot of waste and other nasties. Scoop out a cup or two and smell it, if it doesn't stink it's fine to add to the new tank. Personally I won't add any used sand to an established tank without a thorough rinse and cleaning. jmo, __________________ Less technology , more biology . Current Tank Info: 30 gallon half cube and 5.5, both reef tanks

03/12/2012, 08:33 AM	#8
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	put the sand in a 5 gal. bucket and run a garden hose through it while stiring the sand with your hand, when the water starts to come clean then you can move on with more. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

03/12/2012, 08:34 AM	#9
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	here is an article on it http://www.melevsreef.com/rinsing_sand.html __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

03/11/2012, 08:49 PM	#3
Drewbaby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: FL Posts: 874	The sandbed in the 180 is around 2 1/2 to 3" and I would like to avoid rinsing if at all possible. I have an rodi system and thought about just doing a good 15-20% water change the day after adding the ssand I like the funnel idea. I've got the PVC just need a funnel.

03/12/2012, 12:18 AM	#5
Drewbaby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: FL Posts: 874	What would be the best way to rinse sand?

03/12/2012, 07:42 AM	#6
Drewbaby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: FL Posts: 874	^^^^^

03/12/2012, 10:15 AM	#10
Drewbaby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: FL Posts: 874	Thank you for the link and the advice I appreciate it

03/12/2012, 10:53 AM	#11
Drewbaby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: FL Posts: 874	OK so I just discovered my apartment complex doesn't have a single garden hose hookup anywhere. Could I do this in a bathtub??

03/12/2012, 01:40 PM	#12
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	a bathtub is fine, I do the same. just make sure to rinse the tub out good afterward or the wife will yell at you lol __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

03/12/2012, 01:50 PM	#13
HHIreefer843 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Hilton Head Island Posts: 554	The garden hose wouldnt mess up the "live" part of the sand? __________________ GO GAMECOCKS!!!!!!

03/12/2012, 02:53 PM	#14
Drewbaby Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: FL Posts: 874	I got about 20 lbs in so far and am going to give it a few days to balance out just in case. Ill test my nitrates periodically to see if it creeps up, but I think I rinsed it pretty well.

03/13/2012, 08:58 AM	#15
HHIreefer843 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Hilton Head Island Posts: 554	with the garden hose? __________________ GO GAMECOCKS!!!!!!

03/14/2012, 08:27 AM	#17
HHIreefer843 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Hilton Head Island Posts: 554	Ok bc What I'm doing now is moving my 90 so I'll have everything in a 150 gallon vat in the meantime. This gives me an opportunity to redo my sand bed. I bought 50 new lbs of sand, going to put that on the bottom and in the meantime I have about 30 lbs in a Tupperware in the vat, I'll keep about 5 pounds live and rinse the extra 25. Does that sound good? __________________ GO GAMECOCKS!!!!!!

03/14/2012, 02:14 PM	#18
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	that sounds good. the thing you want to avoid is stirring up the old sand bed and then reusing it. stirring up a used sandbed can create problems with nitrate, ammonia, ect. this is why alot of people will rinse it real good before reuseing it just take some from the top layer of the sand before stirring it up. the deeper you get the more harmful the sand gets. hope that makes sence, I am still half asleep __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

03/14/2012, 04:04 PM	#19
HHIreefer843 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Hilton Head Island Posts: 554	hahaha no worries it does make sense. what if i complete rinse it all and start from scratch. so ill have the brand new 50 lbs and 30 lbs that i can rinse completely. will my live rock re seed the rinsed sand? __________________ GO GAMECOCKS!!!!!!

03/14/2012, 04:06 PM	#20
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	yes, the LR will seed the new sand __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder