Help decide on which Live Sand

[vegasr]

I'm going to be replacing my live(probably dead in some areas) sand in my 75gal display tank. My process will be taking the water out and putting it in multiple 20+gal containers, putting the LR in with a powerhead.
Then putting the few fish and coral I have in another container with some peices of LR and powerhead. So my intent is to do this all in one day.

Any suggestions on a different strategy?

Please help with some suggestions on which Live Sand to use.

Thanks

[sedor]

Don't use the "live sand" crap that is sold in the fish stores as it might cause a cycle in your tank, especially if you do it all in one day. Instead use just a quality reef sand and make sure you rinse it out extremely well. You don't have to actually remove all the water if you don't want to, but it might actually be easier for you to do it that way. Instead, siphon the sand out with a hose into buckets, then discard and add in your new sand. If at all possible I would leave the livestock in buckets over night so you can let all the sediment settle. Otherwise, you should be just fine.

[vegasr]

Thanks for the suggestion. Do you have a link to any reef sand you recommend?

[vegasr]

No suggestions on a brand and type of Live Sand or reef sand?

[rale2001]

I'm starting a 55 gal project and I'm going with marcorocks.com to get my 80lbs of sand so something for you to concider but I don't how fine the sand is that's what I'm trying to find out

[Toddrtrex]

This is the sand that I use in all of my tanks (( and I also don't think that "live" sand is worth it )).

[vegasr]

Thanks for the pic, Todd. I was considering that one too.

Any other suggestions on the swap out process? I'd really like to reduce the cloudiness time so I don't have to leave my livestock inbuckets too long.

[vegasr]

Went to the LFS and they suggested mixing 40lbs of caribsea reefsand along with 20lbs of live sand. Any thoughts?

[Pufferpunk]

Why not just use the sand you have, rinse it well & reuse?

[dwculp]

I was about to ask, what is wrong with your sand? Any particular reason you are wanting to replace it?

[vegasr]

Originally Posted by dwculp

I was about to ask, what is wrong with your sand? Any particular reason you are wanting to replace it?

Well, it looks kind of dingie, and in more than a few spots under the surfact, looking at it from the side, it is dark. When I do water changes and put the siphon in one of those spots, there is a horrilbe smell when that water goes into the bucket. I bought the tank from someone that had it for about 3 years. When I moved it, I left about a inch of water above the sand so it got sloshed around very good during the transit. I immediately put the water and LR back in. I just have this feeling the sand needs to be replaced. Instead of me taking it out, cleaning and letting it dry, I'd just rather get some of the reefsand posted above and start fresh. I should have done this when I moved the tank, but I got to my house at like 1am and just didn't have time.

[Pufferpunk]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your sand. You aren't supposed to disturb a sand bed. There will be dark spots, "holes" & methane build-up.
Read: http://www.ronshimek.com/deep_sand_beds.html

[vegasr]

Thanks for the link, PP. So with that in mind, would the only things I'd be doing by completely replacing my sand is waste time and money, with no benefit what so ever? Any adverse effect by replacing it as well? I do have about 60lbs of LR in the 75gal tank as well.

Thanks again.

[Toddrtrex]

How deep is the sandbed? If it is less then 2.5 inches, you can vacuum it -- though I would start off very slowly -- just a small section each time.

[Pufferpunk]

If you really feel the need to start over, go ahead & take it out & rinse it but beware, you are starting over with uncycled sand that may or may not cause an ammonia/nitrite spike in your tank. It takes a long time for a sand bed to reestablish it's fauna.

[shenbec]

I moved my 125g, which had a good 150+ pounds of live sand in it, a year ago and ended up having a small cycle that almost messed things up pretty good. Luckily I caught it in time and carbon filtered and did some pretty large water changes and only lost one small neon goby. Just be careful if you decided to mess with your sand. You might want to consider a sand sifting star or other critters that would live in and stir up you sand bed.

[Pufferpunk]

You might want to read Dr Schimek's article, before you go advising that.

"UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOU ADD "SAND-SIFTING" ANIMALS SUCH AS BURROWING SEA STARS OR SOME GOBIES. These animals are "sifting" the sediment to eat the sand critters that you need to have thrive. "

[vegasr]

Originally Posted by Toddrtrex

How deep is the sandbed? If it is less then 2.5 inches, you can vacuum it -- though I would start off very slowly -- just a small section each time.

Its about one inch mainly with some spots close to 2 inches. I usually skim off the top when doing water changes.

Great feedback so far. I'm going to contimplate over this weekend. If I do change it all, Monday will be the day.

[vegasr]

Originally Posted by Pufferpunk

If you really feel the need to start over, go ahead & take it out & rinse it but beware, you are starting over with uncycled sand that may or may not cause an ammonia/nitrite spike in your tank. It takes a long time for a sand bed to reestablish it's fauna.

So that this in consideration, would it be best to mix reefsand with some LIVE SAND (40/20lbs) like a LFS suggested?

[Pufferpunk]

IDK where you think you're gonna get live sand from a shop, unless they're giving it to you from their established tanks. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS LIVE SAND IN A BAG!