adding more sand?

RickySan · 09/02/2007, 10:44 PM

i have a 20g long with 1.5" sand bed. I wish to add more sand making it into a 3'' sandbed. Could this be possible without destroying everything in my tank? any suggestions would help.

Aquarist007 · 09/02/2007, 10:50 PM

rinse the sand real good and add it through a piece of plastic tubing or pipe.
Assuming you have live rock in the tank besides the sand bed then adding that over top of the other will not be a problem--theoretically you have a layer of bacteria that exists in the top of the sand bed (aerobic) and a layer that live deeper(anerobic) Both are needed in the cycling process. Covering up the top layer will set back this bacteria a little but they will quickly recycle and the live rock will pick up the slack while they are doing it

RickySan · 09/03/2007, 12:13 AM

ahh that sounds great! im glad to hear it. thanks for the advice

Aquarist007 · 09/03/2007, 08:18 AM

Ricky, I should have asked you how long your tank has been established ? I would want well established bacteria in the live rock before I put the load on it by altering the top layer of the sand bed.

RickySan · 09/03/2007, 10:39 PM

well i have had my tank up and running for about 2 months. I didnt buy sand today because the LFS closed early due to the holiday. This may have been a good thing even though i was upset. I have a lot of green and purple algae on my rocks as well as my powerheads. The sand will occasionally get some red algae on it but my hermits clean it up quickly! Like I said, im still a newbie and need all the help i can get. So, im not sure if my tank is established or even how long it takes to get an established tank

Do you think i could add more sand or should i wait, i have no problems with waiting. Patience is everything ive been told

Mavrk · 09/03/2007, 11:25 PM

What is in your tank? Adding a layer of sand on top of the existing sand can cause a short ammonia spike. If you have new inhabitants, I would wait a little bit. If your bioload has been there long enough to adjust to your tank, then the spike should not stress them out enough to cause problems.

RickySan · 09/04/2007, 01:19 AM

i have 20lbs of LR, 30lbs of LS, four heads of frogspawn, a hammer coral, and green star polyps. I also have two cleaner shrimp, a fire shrimp, and a cleaner crew.-some snails and hermits-

wolfie03 · 09/04/2007, 06:32 AM

I have always added sand, just take a measuring cup, and drop the sand very carefully on the bottom. If you add one cup a day or so and not a ton all at once, it shouldnt spike.

Aquarist007 · 09/04/2007, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wolfie03
I have always added sand, just take a measuring cup, and drop the sand very carefully on the bottom. If you add one cup a day or so and not a ton all at once, it shouldnt spike.

this is agood idea---since your tank is only been up two months

Lifes A Beach · 09/04/2007, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by wolfie03
I have always added sand, just take a measuring cup, and drop the sand very carefully on the bottom. If you add one cup a day or so and not a ton all at once, it shouldnt spike.

What kind of sand do you recommend using?

RickySan · 09/04/2007, 07:48 PM

thanks for the idea sounds good

fish_ilike00 · 09/04/2007, 08:09 PM

3'' sandbed, it sounds great.

Mavrk · 09/04/2007, 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by prideprops
What kind of sand do you recommend using?

aragonite (sugar fine)

Aquarist007 · 09/05/2007, 09:53 AM

if you are going to use argonite---make sure you include some necessarius snails because they will help with the argonite sand clumping and harding up over time

09/02/2007, 10:44 PM	#1
RickySan Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 518	adding more sand? i have a 20g long with 1.5" sand bed. I wish to add more sand making it into a 3'' sandbed. Could this be possible without destroying everything in my tank? any suggestions would help.

09/02/2007, 10:50 PM	#2
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	rinse the sand real good and add it through a piece of plastic tubing or pipe. Assuming you have live rock in the tank besides the sand bed then adding that over top of the other will not be a problem--theoretically you have a layer of bacteria that exists in the top of the sand bed (aerobic) and a layer that live deeper(anerobic) Both are needed in the cycling process. Covering up the top layer will set back this bacteria a little but they will quickly recycle and the live rock will pick up the slack while they are doing it __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

09/03/2007, 12:13 AM	#3
RickySan Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 518	ahh that sounds great! im glad to hear it. thanks for the advice __________________ RM3 Current Tank Info: AGA 30g Reef 36x12x18, 4x39 ATI T5, 39w LED, Koralia 425, VorTech MP10wES, HOB CPR 2 Skimmer, 60lbs LS, 40lbs LR

09/03/2007, 08:18 AM	#4
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	Ricky, I should have asked you how long your tank has been established ? I would want well established bacteria in the live rock before I put the load on it by altering the top layer of the sand bed. __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock

09/03/2007, 10:39 PM	#5
RickySan Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 518	well i have had my tank up and running for about 2 months. I didnt buy sand today because the LFS closed early due to the holiday. This may have been a good thing even though i was upset. I have a lot of green and purple algae on my rocks as well as my powerheads. The sand will occasionally get some red algae on it but my hermits clean it up quickly! Like I said, im still a newbie and need all the help i can get. So, im not sure if my tank is established or even how long it takes to get an established tank Do you think i could add more sand or should i wait, i have no problems with waiting. Patience is everything ive been told __________________ RM3 Current Tank Info: AGA 30g Reef 36x12x18, 4x39 ATI T5, 39w LED, Koralia 425, VorTech MP10wES, HOB CPR 2 Skimmer, 60lbs LS, 40lbs LR

09/03/2007, 11:25 PM	#6
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	What is in your tank? Adding a layer of sand on top of the existing sand can cause a short ammonia spike. If you have new inhabitants, I would wait a little bit. If your bioload has been there long enough to adjust to your tank, then the spike should not stress them out enough to cause problems.

09/04/2007, 01:19 AM	#7
RickySan Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 518	i have 20lbs of LR, 30lbs of LS, four heads of frogspawn, a hammer coral, and green star polyps. I also have two cleaner shrimp, a fire shrimp, and a cleaner crew.-some snails and hermits- __________________ RM3 Current Tank Info: AGA 30g Reef 36x12x18, 4x39 ATI T5, 39w LED, Koralia 425, VorTech MP10wES, HOB CPR 2 Skimmer, 60lbs LS, 40lbs LR

09/04/2007, 06:32 AM	#8
wolfie03 Moved On Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: VA, Richmond Posts: 30	I have always added sand, just take a measuring cup, and drop the sand very carefully on the bottom. If you add one cup a day or so and not a ton all at once, it shouldnt spike.

09/04/2007, 07:48 PM	#11
RickySan Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Texas Posts: 518	thanks for the idea sounds good __________________ RM3 Current Tank Info: AGA 30g Reef 36x12x18, 4x39 ATI T5, 39w LED, Koralia 425, VorTech MP10wES, HOB CPR 2 Skimmer, 60lbs LS, 40lbs LR

09/04/2007, 08:09 PM	#12
fish_ilike00 Moved On Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 3	3'' sandbed, it sounds great.

09/05/2007, 09:53 AM	#14
Aquarist007 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, Canada Posts: 28,240 Blog Entries: 1	if you are going to use argonite---make sure you include some necessarius snails because they will help with the argonite sand clumping and harding up over time __________________ I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock