Adding "live" sand to a cycled system

whiterabbit.50 · 01/06/2010, 06:35 PM

During every water change I try to siphon off some of the algae/detritus off the sand. During this process I also suck up a lot of sand. I have left this sand in my water change buckets and I am now looking to replenish my sand bed since it has gotten under 2 inches in some places.

My first question is, how should I go about washing the sand or is it better to buy new sand to add?

Secondly, how should I add this sand to my tank? Is it ok to just put it over my current sand or should I mix it? By covering the top layer now do I risk killing off all the surface algae and causing another cycle to start? I also dont want to go through a new cycle due to all the dead stuff that I cant wash off in the first place.

Thanks for the help!

noahm · 01/06/2010, 06:58 PM

It is possible to reuse the sand if you rinse it thoroughly In a bucket. RO water should be fine or fresh mixed SW. Honestly, fresh water is not going to hurt it so long as you rinse it completely, just be aware of what can be in tap water. If you want to keep it 'live' you must use SW to rinse. Most people just get new sand and add a bit at a time (maybe 1/4"-3/8 at a time so as to not disrupt the life underneath all at once) to the top just because it is not going to have any organics left in it. Rinse the new sand though as well so yo don't get a milk cloud.

luther1200 · 01/06/2010, 07:06 PM

I do the same thing. I add about 10# of live sand back to my 65 every year. I just use as small plastic cup and scoop it out of the bag and put it down to the SB aqnd dump it out. I also turn off all the pumps until it has settled. It will get a little cloudy for a while. I do mix it in a bit. But I have a SSB that I always keep stirred druing WC's. I wouldn't mix it to much if your SB dosen't get disturbed some during your WC's. I always used new LS, but if you rinsed your sand I gues it would be OK to use it. I spend the extra money on the LS because you don't have to rinse it and it can just go right in.

wooden_reefer · 01/06/2010, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whiterabbit.50

During every water change I try to siphon off some of the algae/detritus off the sand. During this process I also suck up a lot of sand. I have left this sand in my water change buckets and I am now looking to replenish my sand bed since it has gotten under 2 inches in some places.

My first question is, how should I go about washing the sand or is it better to buy new sand to add?

Secondly, how should I add this sand to my tank? Is it ok to just put it over my current sand or should I mix it? By covering the top layer now do I risk killing off all the surface algae and causing another cycle to start? I also dont want to go through a new cycle due to all the dead stuff that I cant wash off in the first place.

Thanks for the help!

If you had robbed enough microbes from the DT by removing some sand, the reduction in nitrification would have been done when you remove the sand, not when you return the sand. In general, unless you hauled away a fraction of the sand, the impact will be very small.

If you have also collected much decayable material together with the sand, it is better to wash the sand before adding back. For this purpose, you can even wash the sand with fresh water and allow the microbes in the sand to die. There will have been enough replenishment naturally in the DT by now.

In general, I am very much against accepting mini-cycling, but when it is really mini or micro cycling, it matters little. Have a sense of proportion.

Rensmif · 01/06/2010, 07:11 PM

will work fine reusing the old sand

FocusFin · 01/06/2010, 07:14 PM

Hi from Ottawa

I have replenished/replaced sand from time to time, both new and washed and simply added it by sections over time.

If your tank is 48X18 for example do a 10X10section. Keep a close eye on your parameters the first time you do it and if there's no problems after a week to 10 days do another section and so on.

It takes awhile but the alternative may cause your tank to cycle.

01/06/2010, 06:35 PM	#1
whiterabbit.50 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 67	Adding "live" sand to a cycled system During every water change I try to siphon off some of the algae/detritus off the sand. During this process I also suck up a lot of sand. I have left this sand in my water change buckets and I am now looking to replenish my sand bed since it has gotten under 2 inches in some places. My first question is, how should I go about washing the sand or is it better to buy new sand to add? Secondly, how should I add this sand to my tank? Is it ok to just put it over my current sand or should I mix it? By covering the top layer now do I risk killing off all the surface algae and causing another cycle to start? I also dont want to go through a new cycle due to all the dead stuff that I cant wash off in the first place. Thanks for the help!

01/06/2010, 06:58 PM	#2
noahm Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 2,736	It is possible to reuse the sand if you rinse it thoroughly In a bucket. RO water should be fine or fresh mixed SW. Honestly, fresh water is not going to hurt it so long as you rinse it completely, just be aware of what can be in tap water. If you want to keep it 'live' you must use SW to rinse. Most people just get new sand and add a bit at a time (maybe 1/4"-3/8 at a time so as to not disrupt the life underneath all at once) to the top just because it is not going to have any organics left in it. Rinse the new sand though as well so yo don't get a milk cloud. Last edited by noahm; 01/06/2010 at 07:03 PM.

01/06/2010, 07:06 PM	#3
luther1200 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NJ, shore Posts: 4,376	I do the same thing. I add about 10# of live sand back to my 65 every year. I just use as small plastic cup and scoop it out of the bag and put it down to the SB aqnd dump it out. I also turn off all the pumps until it has settled. It will get a little cloudy for a while. I do mix it in a bit. But I have a SSB that I always keep stirred druing WC's. I wouldn't mix it to much if your SB dosen't get disturbed some during your WC's. I always used new LS, but if you rinsed your sand I gues it would be OK to use it. I spend the extra money on the LS because you don't have to rinse it and it can just go right in. __________________ Matt, 65G reef tank Current Tank Info: 65g reef, mix of sps, lps, few softies. Hoping to upgrade within the year.

01/06/2010, 07:11 PM	#5
Rensmif Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 140	will work fine reusing the old sand

01/06/2010, 07:14 PM	#6
FocusFin Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ottawa, Cannuckistan Posts: 72	Hi from Ottawa I have replenished/replaced sand from time to time, both new and washed and simply added it by sections over time. If your tank is 48X18 for example do a 10X10section. Keep a close eye on your parameters the first time you do it and if there's no problems after a week to 10 days do another section and so on. It takes awhile but the alternative may cause your tank to cycle.