How to change substrate in semi-established reef tank?

SaltLifeCam · 04/13/2015, 09:43 AM

I have a 10 gal soon-to-be reef tank, right now it has been cycled for a few weeks and has a cleaner crew only in it. I had an under gravel filter in it at the beginning with pebbles along with live sand. I want to take the UG and the rocks out, and add another layer of sand (dry). How does this process need to work? Do I need to remove all inverts while doing this or can I just set the live rock aside? It should only take a few minutes I believe. I will be adding the dry sand through a PVC pipe after everything is done.

Here's the issue the UG caused with the rock and sand, pulling all sand under everything (huge fail!

)

Also, any recommendations on the best dry sand to add to a reef tank? What size/type/etc.

Thanks everyone

Sk8r · 04/13/2015, 10:34 AM

Always use aragonite. Not fine aragonite, the coarser sort. I'd ditch the pebbles: they'll trap muck.

Best way to do this is to take live rock and critters into a 5 gallon poly bucket with heater and pump, and keep it as nice as a tank, while you simply strip the tank down.

In your situation, I think I'd spring for live sand (watch the expiration date) to try to hurry things along. If you do get dry, prepare to use more than a hundred gallons of water washing it clean.

Once you're ready to put it in the tank, set your rock down first, then add the sand, then water, and simply let the tank cycle, which will take from 5 days to 4 weeks, depending. If you have extremely hardy inverts, they could ride through a cycle, but you haven't mentioned what you have. Shrimp probably wouldn't survive. Snails might. I wish I could tell you that reestablished tank will cycle fast, but it's not a guarantee. Critters may have to survive four weeks in that bucket with a filter going.

ReefkeeperJames · 04/13/2015, 10:54 AM

If you're looking to keep a reef, long term you're not going to want much sand in there at all. Put just enough so it's easy to always clean the nutrients from the substrate. Your tank is on it's way to getting established. I'd take all rock and decorations out (do all this quickly because bacteria in rock will start to die) and use large tubing to siphon out your current substrate. Then use the PVC, like you said, to pour in < 1" of sand. In my opinion even less sand.. The benefits of deep sand don't really appear under 5+ inches untouched for a long time..

If you plan to have sand dwellers or other sand marine life, consider just portions of the tank having more sand and crushed rock.

Get the LR back in the display as quick as you can after laying our the sand. Be sure to burry the rocks down in the sand, not just letting them rest lightly on sand. Future stockings could burry under the sand that the rock wasn't secured in, and ya ya ya..

SaltLifeCam · 04/14/2015, 12:22 PM

Update: Took out all live rock, powerhead, and my coral banded shrimp (figured the rest of the CUC would be fine-misc. snails and hermits) last night. Got the UG and rocks out fairly simply, since my live sand is so fine it sifted right through the filter and I scooped the rocks right out. Little cloudiness. I then put the live rock and shrimp back in. Added aragonite with the PVC to base the live rock and add a little more of a bed in places and let it settle over night with my canister filter running. Early this morning I turned on the powerhead, and went out and got a little 3 in 1 scrubber tool, which included a nifty rake that I used to mix up my live sand/aragonite bed. The snails and hermits are scavenging around and my CB is happily climbing around the rocks!

Not so cloudy, mostly from the raking job I just did and the powerhead setting its current path

It all seemed to go well I will test everything tonight to make sure.

Thank you both for your help! (:

here it is as of earlier today:

04/13/2015, 09:43 AM	#1
SaltLifeCam Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Florida Posts: 78	How to change substrate in semi-established reef tank? I have a 10 gal soon-to-be reef tank, right now it has been cycled for a few weeks and has a cleaner crew only in it. I had an under gravel filter in it at the beginning with pebbles along with live sand. I want to take the UG and the rocks out, and add another layer of sand (dry). How does this process need to work? Do I need to remove all inverts while doing this or can I just set the live rock aside? It should only take a few minutes I believe. I will be adding the dry sand through a PVC pipe after everything is done. Here's the issue the UG caused with the rock and sand, pulling all sand under everything (huge fail! ) Also, any recommendations on the best dry sand to add to a reef tank? What size/type/etc. Thanks everyone

04/13/2015, 10:34 AM	#2
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Always use aragonite. Not fine aragonite, the coarser sort. I'd ditch the pebbles: they'll trap muck. Best way to do this is to take live rock and critters into a 5 gallon poly bucket with heater and pump, and keep it as nice as a tank, while you simply strip the tank down. In your situation, I think I'd spring for live sand (watch the expiration date) to try to hurry things along. If you do get dry, prepare to use more than a hundred gallons of water washing it clean. Once you're ready to put it in the tank, set your rock down first, then add the sand, then water, and simply let the tank cycle, which will take from 5 days to 4 weeks, depending. If you have extremely hardy inverts, they could ride through a cycle, but you haven't mentioned what you have. Shrimp probably wouldn't survive. Snails might. I wish I could tell you that reestablished tank will cycle fast, but it's not a guarantee. Critters may have to survive four weeks in that bucket with a filter going. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

04/14/2015, 12:22 PM	#4
SaltLifeCam Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Florida Posts: 78	Update: Took out all live rock, powerhead, and my coral banded shrimp (figured the rest of the CUC would be fine-misc. snails and hermits) last night. Got the UG and rocks out fairly simply, since my live sand is so fine it sifted right through the filter and I scooped the rocks right out. Little cloudiness. I then put the live rock and shrimp back in. Added aragonite with the PVC to base the live rock and add a little more of a bed in places and let it settle over night with my canister filter running. Early this morning I turned on the powerhead, and went out and got a little 3 in 1 scrubber tool, which included a nifty rake that I used to mix up my live sand/aragonite bed. The snails and hermits are scavenging around and my CB is happily climbing around the rocks! Not so cloudy, mostly from the raking job I just did and the powerhead setting its current path It all seemed to go well I will test everything tonight to make sure. Thank you both for your help! (: here it is as of earlier today: Last edited by SaltLifeCam; 04/14/2015 at 12:28 PM. Reason: picture

04/13/2015, 10:54 AM	#3
ReefkeeperJames Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Posts: 15	If you're looking to keep a reef, long term you're not going to want much sand in there at all. Put just enough so it's easy to always clean the nutrients from the substrate. Your tank is on it's way to getting established. I'd take all rock and decorations out (do all this quickly because bacteria in rock will start to die) and use large tubing to siphon out your current substrate. Then use the PVC, like you said, to pour in < 1" of sand. In my opinion even less sand.. The benefits of deep sand don't really appear under 5+ inches untouched for a long time.. If you plan to have sand dwellers or other sand marine life, consider just portions of the tank having more sand and crushed rock. Get the LR back in the display as quick as you can after laying our the sand. Be sure to burry the rocks down in the sand, not just letting them rest lightly on sand. Future stockings could burry under the sand that the rock wasn't secured in, and ya ya ya..