can i just siphon sand out?

douglam · 12/10/2008, 10:39 PM

i have about 5 inches of LS in one section of my refugium. there are no sand sifter in it. I would like to remove most of it and only leave an inch or so. can i just siphon the sand out? do i need to worry about releasing anything into my tank. what if i drain that section and take the sand out?

sir_dudeguy · 12/10/2008, 11:59 PM

um...isnt that what refugiums are for? To have a space to have a deep sandbed? Why get rid of it? Its doing more good than having nothing (which a 1 inch sandbed wont do anything as far as having anaerobic bacteria)

mg426 · 12/11/2008, 12:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sir_dudeguy
um...isnt that what refugiums are for? To have a space to have a deep sandbed? Why get rid of it? Its doing more good than having nothing (which a 1 inch sandbed wont do anything as far as having anaerobic bacteria)

Unless you have a good reasone to do so I really dont see the reason. I have to agree with Dude on this one.

Untamed12 · 12/11/2008, 12:22 AM

Even if it is really nasty, you can siphon it out. Just don't let the siphoned water/sand get back into the tank or stir things up much.

Years ago, I had a sand bed go very bad in my sump and siphoning it away over the course of weeks solved many problems I was having at the time.

mg426 · 12/11/2008, 12:51 AM

I also agree with that. IF the sand bed is a nasty, funky mess then it may have to go. If it is in an area where it can be isolated
(say shutting off pumps/flow to that area) I would siphon it out. Clean the area with RO/DI water resiphon and start over.

douglam · 12/11/2008, 12:21 PM

thanks all. the sand bed probably isnt that nasty since it hasnt been in there for very long but i was reading a lot about DSBs and it sounds like they are good for awhile but can cause serious problems in the long run. i would rather run something that i have to worry less about.

I plan on siphoning out all but an inch or 2 and adding some fiji mud to the top of it. the real goal of the fuge for me is to add water volume and create a safe place for copepods so that they can be pumped up into my display for my mandarin. the sand is also taking up a good portion of the section it is in and i would like to have more space for cheato since it sounds like this is really the best way to export nutrients. most seem to have pretty much bare bottom fuges with lots of cheato and maybe some additional LR.

sir_dudeguy · 12/11/2008, 05:59 PM

Quote:

the real goal of the fuge for me is to add water volume

i think you're confusing "fuge" and "sump". the sump is for added water volume and to hide equipment, and it can also have a fuge in it.

A fuge isnt really for added water volume (although it does add water obviously) but more for having a deep sandbed (if you want) and for growing some sort of algae such as chaeto. And obviously for the pods

12/10/2008, 10:39 PM	#1
douglam Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Saint Petersburg, FL Posts: 867	can i just siphon sand out? i have about 5 inches of LS in one section of my refugium. there are no sand sifter in it. I would like to remove most of it and only leave an inch or so. can i just siphon the sand out? do i need to worry about releasing anything into my tank. what if i drain that section and take the sand out?

12/10/2008, 11:59 PM	#2
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	um...isnt that what refugiums are for? To have a space to have a deep sandbed? Why get rid of it? Its doing more good than having nothing (which a 1 inch sandbed wont do anything as far as having anaerobic bacteria) __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

12/11/2008, 12:22 AM	#4
Untamed12 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 1,578	Even if it is really nasty, you can siphon it out. Just don't let the siphoned water/sand get back into the tank or stir things up much. Years ago, I had a sand bed go very bad in my sump and siphoning it away over the course of weeks solved many problems I was having at the time. __________________ Fishlist: Tangs: Yellow, Vlamingi, Blonde Naso, Unicorn, Atlantic Blue Others: Maroon Clown(s), Foxface, Majestic Angel, Hawkfish and more.. Current Tank Info: 400gal Envision Acrylic reef started 04/07

12/11/2008, 12:51 AM	#5
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	I also agree with that. IF the sand bed is a nasty, funky mess then it may have to go. If it is in an area where it can be isolated (say shutting off pumps/flow to that area) I would siphon it out. Clean the area with RO/DI water resiphon and start over. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt

12/11/2008, 12:21 PM	#6
douglam Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Saint Petersburg, FL Posts: 867	thanks all. the sand bed probably isnt that nasty since it hasnt been in there for very long but i was reading a lot about DSBs and it sounds like they are good for awhile but can cause serious problems in the long run. i would rather run something that i have to worry less about. I plan on siphoning out all but an inch or 2 and adding some fiji mud to the top of it. the real goal of the fuge for me is to add water volume and create a safe place for copepods so that they can be pumped up into my display for my mandarin. the sand is also taking up a good portion of the section it is in and i would like to have more space for cheato since it sounds like this is really the best way to export nutrients. most seem to have pretty much bare bottom fuges with lots of cheato and maybe some additional LR.