Please assist, live sand question

[Guts]

Hi everyone,
I wanted to add a Deep Sand Bed with fiji pink caribsea live sand in my sump. I started by cleaning the bottom of the sump and then I added 8 pounds to my sump chamber and I was worried about a few things after I put it in.

(1) I turned off my cycling pump and isolated the churned up cloudy water in the skimmer region of the sump, I used the bio magnet clarify chemical pouch after mixing it into a glass of 1.025 salt water. This stuff is just highly ionized + water that clumps -particles in the column, so: is that alright to start up my cycling pump and feed it back into my display after it settles?(75gal)

(2) Can I, after a few days to clear up/make sure levels are flat, add the other 12 pounds to the sump to establish my deep sand bed?

(3) Assuming I screwed up by doing this, should I remove all sand before cycling pump goes on and water change my sump compartment?

(4) I have never NOT had my protein skimmer running, which is why my corals and display are so perfect... If I have my skimmer off for 24 hours, is everything going to be alright? Or should I switch that f'er on immediately and start up the cycling pump?

Please advise A.S.A.P., param below.


I have had my tank established for a year now,+4 months cycling. I have 7 fish (less than 3 inches), 14 corals(3sps,4lps,5softs), 100+ cuc(everything + 12 shrimp assorted)

-100 gallon total including sump
-2 HO led blocks
-reef crystals salt
-1tds ro/di system
-reef octopus (8" diameter big-boy-overkill)
-1 hob with activated carbon and biomax 2 ounces
-1 phosphate remover medium 2 ounces
-levels are perfectly flat at all times, 77 degrees f +- 1
-425 calc, mag is even, nonexistent phos

[Guts]

Forgot to say, I washed the sand thoroughly like 4 times, and it still had some particulate apparently, which made me think of using the clarifying liquid..

Also I forgot to add that I use a custom made brine shrimp hatchery for live food for my tank in the sump, will they be alright just in case I spill some of the milky water into their chamber? (has clarifying liquid in it).

[billsreef]

That pre bagged live sand you can just add it all in at one time. Yes, there will be some cloudiness from adding the sand. Don't worry about it. It will clear up faster with all systems running normally. The critters in the tank won't think it's anything other than stirred up water after a storm...pretty normal occurrence on the reef

[Guts]

Thanks bill, so just dump it all in huh, I wont get a new cycling effect or anything?

What about the biomagnet clarifier liquid, that wont harm anything right?

I believe it is simply +ion fluid that clumps the particulate together or should i just leave it out

Thanks bill, David.

[billsreef]

There is only bacteria in the sand, no live critters to die off and cause a cycle

I'm not familiar with that clarifier liquid. Do you have any links to it? Most clarifier additives used in tanks are floculants, and I that wouldn't bother with. Patience is sufficient and safe

[Guts]

Yea its just like other +ion floculants in that it's design is to group small particles together with -charge.

But yes, I will refrain from using any more of that stuff, there were two pouches, I used 1/2 of it (1/2 ounce of dilute).

Thanks for the help bill, David.