Huge upgrade and have a questions regarding buying a used system

wnehez · 12/07/2011, 03:09 PM

So I am upgrading from my 75g to a 220g. I bought the system last week and have had it set up since sunday running with two circulation pumps and a reactor. The reason I have the reactor in it is because it was set up for ten years and the move made me mix up the sand and mix all that crappy muddy stuff into the water so it is clearing it up. I was wondering if I got a nice big CUC of crabs, would they eat that stuff that settle on the bottom?? Like I said it looks muddy... I did rinse out the sand a little but I was on a very tight time frame to get the water out of the container which was in my gf's dads truck. So I couldnt spend all night rinsing the sand... Just wondering if I got a cuc would that help with the nasty stuff on the sand?

Agu · 12/07/2011, 05:50 PM

If it were my tank I'd siphon out all the sand and either clean it or replace it.

At about 5 years my tanks hit a wall where no amount of maintenance reduces nuisance algae. Removing and replacing the substrate solved 99% of the problems.

if you can't afford/don't want new sand, remove it, rinse it several times in fresh water, dry it out, and give it a final rinse in RO/DI.

I know that sounds like a pain in the behind but it's easier than fighting uncontrollable nuisance algae in your new tank. And you will have nuisance algae no matter how much you spend on a cuc.

ime

crailtap25 · 12/07/2011, 05:57 PM

No skimmer? I'd get a huge one and start running that, and siphoning out any detritus with water changes.

wnehez · 12/12/2011, 08:51 AM

Ok. Another question. Would you put the old sand from my 75g that im taking down on top of the other sand from the 220g? I like my sand alot better because its the tan beach like fine sand.. I like that look better than the white sand and also the beneficial bacteria I thought would really help seed the 220g sand. But, I dont want to cause a huge spike in ammonia again and make the water murkey.. Once I take down the old tank, the fish are gunna be in styrofoam boxes with an air pump but I dont know how long they are gunna have to be in the boxes if I transfer the old sand to the new tank... would it settle in a couple hours?

12/07/2011, 03:09 PM	#1
wnehez Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ringtown, PA Posts: 351	Huge upgrade and have a questions regarding buying a used system So I am upgrading from my 75g to a 220g. I bought the system last week and have had it set up since sunday running with two circulation pumps and a reactor. The reason I have the reactor in it is because it was set up for ten years and the move made me mix up the sand and mix all that crappy muddy stuff into the water so it is clearing it up. I was wondering if I got a nice big CUC of crabs, would they eat that stuff that settle on the bottom?? Like I said it looks muddy... I did rinse out the sand a little but I was on a very tight time frame to get the water out of the container which was in my gf's dads truck. So I couldnt spend all night rinsing the sand... Just wondering if I got a cuc would that help with the nasty stuff on the sand?

12/07/2011, 05:50 PM	#2
Agu Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Sarasota, Florida Posts: 30,279	If it were my tank I'd siphon out all the sand and either clean it or replace it. At about 5 years my tanks hit a wall where no amount of maintenance reduces nuisance algae. Removing and replacing the substrate solved 99% of the problems. if you can't afford/don't want new sand, remove it, rinse it several times in fresh water, dry it out, and give it a final rinse in RO/DI. I know that sounds like a pain in the behind but it's easier than fighting uncontrollable nuisance algae in your new tank. And you will have nuisance algae no matter how much you spend on a cuc. ime __________________ Less technology , more biology . Current Tank Info: 30 gallon half cube and 5.5, both reef tanks

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12/07/2011, 05:57 PM	#3
crailtap25 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 60	No skimmer? I'd get a huge one and start running that, and siphoning out any detritus with water changes.

12/12/2011, 08:51 AM	#4
wnehez Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Ringtown, PA Posts: 351	Ok. Another question. Would you put the old sand from my 75g that im taking down on top of the other sand from the 220g? I like my sand alot better because its the tan beach like fine sand.. I like that look better than the white sand and also the beneficial bacteria I thought would really help seed the 220g sand. But, I dont want to cause a huge spike in ammonia again and make the water murkey.. Once I take down the old tank, the fish are gunna be in styrofoam boxes with an air pump but I dont know how long they are gunna have to be in the boxes if I transfer the old sand to the new tank... would it settle in a couple hours?