If I change the sand will my tank have to cycle

fishykid9212 · 07/26/2009, 02:30 PM

I have this crushed stuff for my substrate and i just got a bunch of sand to replace it. Can I just keep the fish in there or does it need to cycle?

LoyalConvict · 07/26/2009, 05:11 PM

What size tank? how much live rock? I'd rinse the crap outa the sand before i placed in the tank, and put some tank water in a dif tank along with the fish and let the sand settle before putting the fish back in. I dont think there would be much of a cycle. I set up a 75 with just 30-40 lbs of rock from my 90 and had didnt have a cycle. but others will comment and give you more insight and dif. opinions

troylee · 07/26/2009, 05:34 PM

You need to remove the current substrate slowy over the course of a couple weeks or your asking for disaster....just by stirring up the sand bed can make a huge mess and major cycle.....there is no problem with replacing it just got to do it very slowly......

wisdan92 · 07/26/2009, 05:41 PM

I went through this about a year ago. The way i did it was to use a disposable plastic cup (16 oz) and remove several scoops a day until i got the tank to bare bottom. then start to reverse the process by rinsing a cup full of new sand at a time and lower the entire cup of new sand all the way to the bottom of the tank and pour it out slowly....the clouding is very minimal if u only do several cups worth every few hours. it is very time consuming but by doing it this way i encountered no ill effects on my tank inhabitants.

07/26/2009, 02:30 PM	#1
fishykid9212 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Southern NH Posts: 1,470	If I change the sand will my tank have to cycle I have this crushed stuff for my substrate and i just got a bunch of sand to replace it. Can I just keep the fish in there or does it need to cycle?

07/26/2009, 05:11 PM	#2
LoyalConvict Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 468	What size tank? how much live rock? I'd rinse the crap outa the sand before i placed in the tank, and put some tank water in a dif tank along with the fish and let the sand settle before putting the fish back in. I dont think there would be much of a cycle. I set up a 75 with just 30-40 lbs of rock from my 90 and had didnt have a cycle. but others will comment and give you more insight and dif. opinions __________________ Contemplating sushifried I Have - Ichthyophobia, Hydrophobia, Hyalophobia, and Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia Current Tank Info: 90 Reef, 55 fuge - 75 FOWLR 30 fuge

07/26/2009, 05:34 PM	#3
troylee Moved On Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: here. Posts: 2,509	You need to remove the current substrate slowy over the course of a couple weeks or your asking for disaster....just by stirring up the sand bed can make a huge mess and major cycle.....there is no problem with replacing it just got to do it very slowly......

07/26/2009, 05:41 PM	#4
wisdan92 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 37	I went through this about a year ago. The way i did it was to use a disposable plastic cup (16 oz) and remove several scoops a day until i got the tank to bare bottom. then start to reverse the process by rinsing a cup full of new sand at a time and lower the entire cup of new sand all the way to the bottom of the tank and pour it out slowly....the clouding is very minimal if u only do several cups worth every few hours. it is very time consuming but by doing it this way i encountered no ill effects on my tank inhabitants.