Rinsing sand

oysterxfast5 · 12/13/2007, 02:58 PM

I got some sand for my tank I am setting up and am having a hard time rinsing it. I ran alot of water through it but it is still making the water quite cloudy. What is the magic trick to rinsing it? Do I just need to Get a back filter on it to clean it out?

Lucky-rc · 12/13/2007, 03:39 PM

Wel on this you need alot of patients, and it will still be cloudy.

I rinse mine out with tank water (when I do a water Change) I use a screen and only do about a hand full at a time.

just run a small power head from your sump (or whatever) with a small hose on it and run it over the sand while shaking the sand.
Work real good for me?

Lucky

oysterxfast5 · 12/13/2007, 03:40 PM

That doesn't sound like to much fun, 90 pounds at a handful at a time.

oysterxfast5 · 12/13/2007, 03:42 PM

Do you think that a hob filter will clear out the water now though?

Capt_Cully · 12/13/2007, 03:46 PM

I think it'll clog up. Plus the dust settles EVERYWHERE.

I take a 5 gal salt bucket. Pour in about 10-15 lbs. I pour either water change water or RO water in until water level is just above sand. I twist my arm to swirl the bucket and alot of crud and dust comes up. I pour and repeat. Takes a while, but it saves water.

Then, when I put it in the tank, I take a cup or glass. Fill it with the wet sand. I lower it into the tank, allowing glass to fill in with water. Then lower it to the bottom and pour it out slowly.

Works well and tank doesn't look like a giant box of milk.

cristhiam · 12/13/2007, 03:56 PM

I did like Capt_Cully but I used the garden hose outside on the yard in a 5G bucket, not a problem, about 150# for the display 2 years ago, and I just put about 50# in the sump for a DSB, the cloud just lasted for a few hours. Also you can use a HOB filters just keep cleaning it.

Lucky-rc · 12/13/2007, 05:21 PM

yes great point when you do put it in the tank don't just dump it in.
Lower it to the bottom and dump slow

Luck

oysterxfast5 · 12/13/2007, 05:25 PM

When you say it will clug up do you mean the filter media?

ljosh · 12/13/2007, 05:28 PM

I ended up emptying my tank the first time from the cloud. Second time I put the sand in the tank before adding water. Covered it completely end to end with garbage bags. Piled all the plates cups and bowls I own on top of the bags. Added water. Removed the dishes and the gabage backs floated gently up. No cloud. No rinsing required. I imagine if the sand got stirred somehow it would be all bad though.

AZDesertRat · 12/13/2007, 07:05 PM

Why are you rinsing it? If you are wanting a functioning deep sand bed you do not want to rinse it. Its the finer materials that make a sandbed function so well. Some of us spent good money on Southdown just so we could get sugar sized sand or smaller.

If you are just doing a decorative sand bed then rinsing is OK. I used to do the bucket method with a garden hose. It would leave a nice white residue down the whole street!

oysterxfast5 · 12/14/2007, 02:09 PM

I was going for a dsb. I very slowly filled the tank up and it clouded up. so hows that going to work without rinsing?

AZDesertRat · 12/14/2007, 03:02 PM

Bum a couple of cups of live sand from friends or the LFS to seed your sand. It will give your sand a jump start and it will soon settle like a rock.
One good way to help with the milkshake is to cover the sand with trash bags and slowly pour the water over the bags so you disturb as little sand as possible. Its going to look like heck for a bit but the end result is worth it. Critters love the fine sand!

oysterxfast5 · 12/14/2007, 03:36 PM

Well I had a 5 gallon bucket set up and i took little air line and had a small stream going. It looks a little bit better than it did. So it will just settle? I wont have to worry about it so much?

davocean · 12/14/2007, 04:49 PM

I don't rinse anymore either do to what AZ was talking about.
And if you do rinse, make sure to use RO water, as phosphates will cling to sand.

12/13/2007, 02:58 PM	#1
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	Rinsing sand I got some sand for my tank I am setting up and am having a hard time rinsing it. I ran alot of water through it but it is still making the water quite cloudy. What is the magic trick to rinsing it? Do I just need to Get a back filter on it to clean it out?

12/13/2007, 03:39 PM	#2
Lucky-rc Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: central Ohio Posts: 450	Wel on this you need alot of patients, and it will still be cloudy. I rinse mine out with tank water (when I do a water Change) I use a screen and only do about a hand full at a time. just run a small power head from your sump (or whatever) with a small hose on it and run it over the sand while shaking the sand. Work real good for me? Lucky __________________ Fast women... Expensive hobbies... Whats left? Current Tank Info: 310 gal. mix-reef

12/13/2007, 03:46 PM	#5
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	I think it'll clog up. Plus the dust settles EVERYWHERE. I take a 5 gal salt bucket. Pour in about 10-15 lbs. I pour either water change water or RO water in until water level is just above sand. I twist my arm to swirl the bucket and alot of crud and dust comes up. I pour and repeat. Takes a while, but it saves water. Then, when I put it in the tank, I take a cup or glass. Fill it with the wet sand. I lower it into the tank, allowing glass to fill in with water. Then lower it to the bottom and pour it out slowly. Works well and tank doesn't look like a giant box of milk. __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

12/13/2007, 03:56 PM	#6
cristhiam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Groveland, FL Posts: 3,099	I did like Capt_Cully but I used the garden hose outside on the yard in a 5G bucket, not a problem, about 150# for the display 2 years ago, and I just put about 50# in the sump for a DSB, the cloud just lasted for a few hours. Also you can use a HOB filters just keep cleaning it. __________________ 2 yellows tail damsels, yellow watchman goby, tail spot blennie, purple pseudocromis, starry blennie, 2 clowns, 1 black clown, mandarine & Yellow tang Current Tank Info: 125 AGA, 3 40W 6500K, 3 110W URI Actinics, running on 2 IceCaps 660, CSS125

12/13/2007, 05:21 PM	#7
Lucky-rc Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: central Ohio Posts: 450	yes great point when you do put it in the tank don't just dump it in. Lower it to the bottom and dump slow Luck __________________ Fast women... Expensive hobbies... Whats left? Current Tank Info: 310 gal. mix-reef

12/13/2007, 03:40 PM	#3
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	That doesn't sound like to much fun, 90 pounds at a handful at a time.

12/13/2007, 03:42 PM	#4
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	Do you think that a hob filter will clear out the water now though?

12/13/2007, 05:25 PM	#8
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	When you say it will clug up do you mean the filter media?

12/13/2007, 05:28 PM	#9
ljosh Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 354	I ended up emptying my tank the first time from the cloud. Second time I put the sand in the tank before adding water. Covered it completely end to end with garbage bags. Piled all the plates cups and bowls I own on top of the bags. Added water. Removed the dishes and the gabage backs floated gently up. No cloud. No rinsing required. I imagine if the sand got stirred somehow it would be all bad though.

12/13/2007, 07:05 PM	#10
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Why are you rinsing it? If you are wanting a functioning deep sand bed you do not want to rinse it. Its the finer materials that make a sandbed function so well. Some of us spent good money on Southdown just so we could get sugar sized sand or smaller. If you are just doing a decorative sand bed then rinsing is OK. I used to do the bucket method with a garden hose. It would leave a nice white residue down the whole street!

12/14/2007, 02:09 PM	#11
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	I was going for a dsb. I very slowly filled the tank up and it clouded up. so hows that going to work without rinsing?

12/14/2007, 03:02 PM	#12
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	Bum a couple of cups of live sand from friends or the LFS to seed your sand. It will give your sand a jump start and it will soon settle like a rock. One good way to help with the milkshake is to cover the sand with trash bags and slowly pour the water over the bags so you disturb as little sand as possible. Its going to look like heck for a bit but the end result is worth it. Critters love the fine sand!

12/14/2007, 03:36 PM	#13
oysterxfast5 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Coldwater, MI Posts: 583	Well I had a 5 gallon bucket set up and i took little air line and had a small stream going. It looks a little bit better than it did. So it will just settle? I wont have to worry about it so much?

12/14/2007, 04:49 PM	#14
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	I don't rinse anymore either do to what AZ was talking about. And if you do rinse, make sure to use RO water, as phosphates will cling to sand. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD