Advice Needed: Starting Tank Over

bmacrc · 12/05/2009, 11:33 AM

I have taken all live rock out and boiled to get rid of epidemic of aptasia and green star polyps (believe me I tried to eradicate with little success). I'm left with a living deep sand bed (4-5") and fish in quarantine tanks.

This weekend I'm planning to:
1. Clean off heavy detritus from top 1/2" of sand bed (being careful not too go too deep).
2. Add approx. 60 lbs of carib-sea live sand on top of sand bed to bring bed up to 5-6". After 11 years of running it is not longer 5-6 inches.
3. Put the "dead" live rock back in (about 120lbs).
4. Leave lights off for 7-10 days, then "on" for 8 hours a day
4. Wait for a cycle over the next 4-6 weeks.
5. Then add fish / corals.
6. I have changed many aspects of my system and confident this time around I will avoid the high nutrient levels that substained the aptasia's this time.

Advice Needed:
1. Will the live sand die during the cycle?
2. Does anyone have any suggestions as to my plan (am I doing this right or wrong)?
3. If I happen to go too deep on cleaning and release hydrogen sulfide is that "OK" since I don't have any fish/corals? And, will it dispate during the cycle or does it not break down?

Specs:
110 gal.
AquaC Ev-180 skimmer
25 gal sump ---- skimmer -> return <- refugium
2 - Vortech 40's
2 - 250w 10K MH's
2 - 110w VHO actinic's

Thanks in advance for any advice...

joet3580 · 12/05/2009, 03:47 PM

i think what your planning sounds reasonable not real sure

arrowheadpuffer · 12/05/2009, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmacrc

I'm left with a living deep sand bed (4-5") and fish in quarantine tanks.

3. If I happen to go too deep on cleaning and release hydrogen sulfide is that "OK" since I don't have any fish/corals?

Why keep the sand living? If you think that you have waste in the sand bed, which sounds like you do, then why not take the sand out and wash it, or even buy new sand. It would suck to set the tank back up and have a nutrient problem because of the sand bed.

Since you will be starting with dead rock, why not clean the sand, start with a 'dead' tank and seed with one or two pieces of new live rock.

moondoggy4 · 12/05/2009, 04:48 PM

Tagging along Also get a Copperband butterfly just when I think I cannot take it anymore I switch him out from my other tank and in a month the aptisa is all gone.

bmacrc · 12/05/2009, 08:40 PM

Thanks for the advice. Just finished taking out all the sand. I think that was the best advice. I'm going to rebuild from scratch, that way I will know if my new methods and changes are really working. If I would have tried to keep the sand and had problems I would have blamed it on the sand. Thanks for the help. Building sand bed back with new sand. Thx...

12/05/2009, 11:33 AM	#1
bmacrc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tennessee Posts: 7	Advice Needed: Starting Tank Over I have taken all live rock out and boiled to get rid of epidemic of aptasia and green star polyps (believe me I tried to eradicate with little success). I'm left with a living deep sand bed (4-5") and fish in quarantine tanks. This weekend I'm planning to: 1. Clean off heavy detritus from top 1/2" of sand bed (being careful not too go too deep). 2. Add approx. 60 lbs of carib-sea live sand on top of sand bed to bring bed up to 5-6". After 11 years of running it is not longer 5-6 inches. 3. Put the "dead" live rock back in (about 120lbs). 4. Leave lights off for 7-10 days, then "on" for 8 hours a day 4. Wait for a cycle over the next 4-6 weeks. 5. Then add fish / corals. 6. I have changed many aspects of my system and confident this time around I will avoid the high nutrient levels that substained the aptasia's this time. Advice Needed: 1. Will the live sand die during the cycle? 2. Does anyone have any suggestions as to my plan (am I doing this right or wrong)? 3. If I happen to go too deep on cleaning and release hydrogen sulfide is that "OK" since I don't have any fish/corals? And, will it dispate during the cycle or does it not break down? Specs: 110 gal. AquaC Ev-180 skimmer 25 gal sump ---- skimmer -> return <- refugium 2 - Vortech 40's 2 - 250w 10K MH's 2 - 110w VHO actinic's Thanks in advance for any advice...

12/05/2009, 03:47 PM	#2
joet3580 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Posts: 53	i think what your planning sounds reasonable not real sure

12/05/2009, 04:48 PM	#4
moondoggy4 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: menifee So cal Posts: 11,042	Tagging along Also get a Copperband butterfly just when I think I cannot take it anymore I switch him out from my other tank and in a month the aptisa is all gone.

12/05/2009, 08:40 PM	#5
bmacrc Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Tennessee Posts: 7	Thanks for the advice. Just finished taking out all the sand. I think that was the best advice. I'm going to rebuild from scratch, that way I will know if my new methods and changes are really working. If I would have tried to keep the sand and had problems I would have blamed it on the sand. Thanks for the help. Building sand bed back with new sand. Thx...