How to convert crushed coral to live sand?

VahanM · 10/19/2007, 02:51 PM

I have a 50 gallon tank with crushed coral and I want to change it to live sand.

I have rocks, fish, and inverts in there. How can I go about making this transition a smooth one?

BurntOutReefer · 10/19/2007, 02:55 PM

VERY slowly.......change a little at a time otherwise you'll get a nitrate spike....try to disturb as little of your substarte as you can.

traderdan · 10/19/2007, 03:02 PM

Maybe you can take fill up a 40 gallon container, like a new garbage can, with your exsiting water. Then change out substrate and remove what water is left. Return the 40 gallons and do 10 gallon water change. If you did this I don't see how your nitrates would go up. Just a thought.

SquidHC · 10/19/2007, 03:04 PM

Wait, you have crushed coral substrate and you want to make it "live"? Or you want to replace the crushed coral with a totally new type of substrate?

BurntOutReefer · 10/19/2007, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by traderdan
Maybe you can take fill up a 40 gallon container, like a new garbage can, with your exsiting water. Then change out substrate and remove what water is left. Return the 40 gallons and do 10 gallon water change. If you did this I don't see how your nitrates would go up. Just a thought.

Just by disturbing that much substarte will release all kinds of garbage thats currently trapped in that substrate.......better to do it in small portions at a time over a week or so.....

rustybucket145 · 10/19/2007, 03:07 PM

How deep is the CC? In shallow cases 1"-2" you can just dump the sand on top of it and stir it in.

bertoni · 10/19/2007, 03:36 PM

I wouldn't mix the substrates. Over time, the crushed coral will rise to the top and kill the live sand.

When I switched substrates, I disassembled the tank. That's fairly safe, although a lot of work.

jjmcat · 10/19/2007, 03:47 PM

I agree with Bertoni.All its takes is a little distubance in the force and it will all go down hill.

VahanM · 10/19/2007, 05:06 PM

I have about 1-2" of CC and I want to completely remove it and put in live sand instead. The CC is a nitrate factory.

10/19/2007, 02:51 PM	#1
VahanM Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: North Hollywood, CA Posts: 180	How to convert crushed coral to live sand? I have a 50 gallon tank with crushed coral and I want to change it to live sand. I have rocks, fish, and inverts in there. How can I go about making this transition a smooth one?

10/19/2007, 03:04 PM	#4
SquidHC Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Portland, Oregon, USA Posts: 840	Wait, you have crushed coral substrate and you want to make it "live"? Or you want to replace the crushed coral with a totally new type of substrate? __________________ We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of dreams. Current Tank Info: 30x30 cube under construction!

10/19/2007, 03:07 PM	#6
rustybucket145 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: valdosta, ga Posts: 3,707	How deep is the CC? In shallow cases 1"-2" you can just dump the sand on top of it and stir it in. __________________ 400gals of various tanks in the same system. Current Tank Info: 2 175w MH, 2 VH0 Actinics, Lots of Live Rock, tons of copepods, a Fat Mandarin Goby, Niger Trigger, Yellow Tang, Falco Hawkfish, Bi-Color Pseudo, numerous soft, SPS and LPS Corals

10/19/2007, 03:36 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I wouldn't mix the substrates. Over time, the crushed coral will rise to the top and kill the live sand. When I switched substrates, I disassembled the tank. That's fairly safe, although a lot of work. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

10/19/2007, 03:47 PM	#8
jjmcat Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 4,249	I agree with Bertoni.All its takes is a little distubance in the force and it will all go down hill. __________________ Oklahoma Marine and Aquarium Society Support your LFS and your local club. Jarrod Lee Current Tank Info: 110 reef with a 55 gallon sump,3 metal halides

10/19/2007, 02:55 PM	#2
BurntOutReefer Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Granada Hills Posts: 4,376	VERY slowly.......change a little at a time otherwise you'll get a nitrate spike....try to disturb as little of your substarte as you can.

10/19/2007, 03:02 PM	#3
traderdan Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Portage, IN Posts: 306	Maybe you can take fill up a 40 gallon container, like a new garbage can, with your exsiting water. Then change out substrate and remove what water is left. Return the 40 gallons and do 10 gallon water change. If you did this I don't see how your nitrates would go up. Just a thought.

10/19/2007, 05:06 PM	#9
VahanM Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: North Hollywood, CA Posts: 180	I have about 1-2" of CC and I want to completely remove it and put in live sand instead. The CC is a nitrate factory.