Best way to replace sand?

Jeff · 02/03/2007, 05:17 PM

Hey all,
I have a 58 gallon loaded with live rock and about 3" of southdown that I am about sick of. It is getting everywhere. I was thinking about replaceing it with a larger grain sand.

Does anybody have a good way of doing this without breaking down the tank? I am not even sure if i can do this without causing a cycle.

Thanks in advance.

JohnF · 02/03/2007, 05:49 PM

If it was me, I would siphon out the sand during water changes, a little at a time.
Ya..it would take a while to get all the sand out but you would not upset your tank balance and would not start a cycle.

Maybe someone has a better idea...

Jeff · 02/03/2007, 07:05 PM

I guess I could take some out every day and test for any nitrate spikes daily while adding new sand to the sump. But i wonder what the best way to get it out would be without causing a sandstorm.

jdieck · 02/03/2007, 07:11 PM

Syphon it out. Use a 1/2 inch hose do small areas at a time so if there is any hydrogen sulphide just a little gets released.

Airman · 02/03/2007, 09:55 PM

There will not be any hydrogen suphide with 3" of sand. Remove the with the 1/2' hose. It should remove any nasty dirt (i.e. poop) with the sand. Adding the new sand might be problematic.

Sk8r · 02/03/2007, 11:24 PM

Use a water glass to lift it in and out. Cap said glass with a plastic lid to prevent dusting. Do it area at a time, until you get down to where a siphon will work for you.

dbrock12 · 02/03/2007, 11:59 PM

I have done just what you are contemplating on my 180 reef. I had originally went with Southdown and like you was tired of it getting blown all around the tank. Each month during a water change, I would siphon out about 1/4 of the old sand. I would then replace this area with my new sand. (I used Aragamax Special Reef Grade Sand) To replace it, I used a 30in. section of 3" diameter PVC. I would put one end of the PVC in the area that I wanted the new sand, with the other end of the PVC sticking out above the water line. Pour the sand into the PVC and let it settle for 15 to 20 minutes before slowly pulling the PVC up and repostioning it to a new area. Repeat this until the area you want the new sand in is covered. It is time consuming, but I was able to do it this way without creating a major sandstorm. Four months later, the vast majority of the Southdown was gone and the new sand in place with no adverse effects to tank chemistry.

Don

jdieck · 02/04/2007, 12:11 AM

The pipe trick works but here is another that will work also.
If you are using Aragalive you do not rinse it, just drain it and half fill 1 gal plastic bags with it. When ready to add, close the bag with your hand and bring it all the way to the bottom. release the bag opening and let some aquarium water in, then grab the bottom corner of the bag and slowly turn it over so the sand pours out slowly. once the sand is out, reclose the bag opening with your hand and pull it out. Repeat with as many bags as necessary. Very little to no cloudiness.
If you are using dry sand (Which I also recommend the Special Reef Grade Sand (about 0.2 to 1.7 mm) you rinse it until the water does not come dirty any more but rather just milky. Then drain it as much as you can and while still wet bag it as described above.

supertech3 · 02/04/2007, 12:15 AM

Well this is how I replaced mine, I used a shop vac and took it out when I did the weekly water changes but I did not want to remove it all to fast and remove all of my living matter.

02/03/2007, 05:17 PM	#1
Jeff Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 11,907	Best way to replace sand? Hey all, I have a 58 gallon loaded with live rock and about 3" of southdown that I am about sick of. It is getting everywhere. I was thinking about replaceing it with a larger grain sand. Does anybody have a good way of doing this without breaking down the tank? I am not even sure if i can do this without causing a cycle. Thanks in advance. __________________ Always remember.... any time you reef, you also reef with every reefer that reefer has reefed with. Mitch 2/18/10 IWNFT343F Current Tank Info: Innovative Marine 20

02/03/2007, 07:05 PM	#3
Jeff Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Chicago Posts: 11,907	I guess I could take some out every day and test for any nitrate spikes daily while adding new sand to the sump. But i wonder what the best way to get it out would be without causing a sandstorm. __________________ Always remember.... any time you reef, you also reef with every reefer that reefer has reefed with. Mitch 2/18/10 IWNFT343F Current Tank Info: Innovative Marine 20

02/03/2007, 07:11 PM	#4
jdieck Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maumee, OH Posts: 15,673	Syphon it out. Use a 1/2 inch hose do small areas at a time so if there is any hydrogen sulphide just a little gets released. __________________ Did I write what I wrote? What the heck am I talking about! Well..... Nevermind. Current Tank Info: 225 gal reef, DSB, 40 g sump w/ LRT100 return, 37 g pre-sump, 3 MH 250 W 15K, 4 96 W PC dual actinic,ETS 1500 Skim.w/LRT70, 20 lb Ca R., 40 W UV, 1/3 HP chiller, two 350 W Htrs, Neptune II Cont., 330 P LR/ 330 P LS. 55 gal Refugium

02/03/2007, 09:55 PM	#5
Airman Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 643	There will not be any hydrogen suphide with 3" of sand. Remove the with the 1/2' hose. It should remove any nasty dirt (i.e. poop) with the sand. Adding the new sand might be problematic. __________________ What is man, that thou art mindful of him?...:) Current Tank Info: 55 Gal, DSB, protein skimmer, UV light, Sump/Refugium

02/03/2007, 11:24 PM	#6
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Use a water glass to lift it in and out. Cap said glass with a plastic lid to prevent dusting. Do it area at a time, until you get down to where a siphon will work for you. __________________ 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%.

02/03/2007, 05:49 PM	#2
JohnF Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 62	If it was me, I would siphon out the sand during water changes, a little at a time. Ya..it would take a while to get all the sand out but you would not upset your tank balance and would not start a cycle. Maybe someone has a better idea...

02/03/2007, 11:59 PM	#7
dbrock12 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 49	I have done just what you are contemplating on my 180 reef. I had originally went with Southdown and like you was tired of it getting blown all around the tank. Each month during a water change, I would siphon out about 1/4 of the old sand. I would then replace this area with my new sand. (I used Aragamax Special Reef Grade Sand) To replace it, I used a 30in. section of 3" diameter PVC. I would put one end of the PVC in the area that I wanted the new sand, with the other end of the PVC sticking out above the water line. Pour the sand into the PVC and let it settle for 15 to 20 minutes before slowly pulling the PVC up and repostioning it to a new area. Repeat this until the area you want the new sand in is covered. It is time consuming, but I was able to do it this way without creating a major sandstorm. Four months later, the vast majority of the Southdown was gone and the new sand in place with no adverse effects to tank chemistry. Don

02/04/2007, 12:11 AM	#8
jdieck Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maumee, OH Posts: 15,673	The pipe trick works but here is another that will work also. If you are using Aragalive you do not rinse it, just drain it and half fill 1 gal plastic bags with it. When ready to add, close the bag with your hand and bring it all the way to the bottom. release the bag opening and let some aquarium water in, then grab the bottom corner of the bag and slowly turn it over so the sand pours out slowly. once the sand is out, reclose the bag opening with your hand and pull it out. Repeat with as many bags as necessary. Very little to no cloudiness. If you are using dry sand (Which I also recommend the Special Reef Grade Sand (about 0.2 to 1.7 mm) you rinse it until the water does not come dirty any more but rather just milky. Then drain it as much as you can and while still wet bag it as described above. __________________ Did I write what I wrote? What the heck am I talking about! Well..... Nevermind. Current Tank Info: 225 gal reef, DSB, 40 g sump w/ LRT100 return, 37 g pre-sump, 3 MH 250 W 15K, 4 96 W PC dual actinic,ETS 1500 Skim.w/LRT70, 20 lb Ca R., 40 W UV, 1/3 HP chiller, two 350 W Htrs, Neptune II Cont., 330 P LR/ 330 P LS. 55 gal Refugium

02/04/2007, 12:15 AM	#9
supertech3 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: El Paso Posts: 1,206	Well this is how I replaced mine, I used a shop vac and took it out when I did the weekly water changes but I did not want to remove it all to fast and remove all of my living matter.