i want to add 5 more lbs of sand

geaux xman · 09/15/2010, 12:31 AM

1.5 month old 17g with 2 clowns.

before i started cycling, i had put in 20lbs of CarabSea "live" fiji pink sand. now i want to add another 5lbs. I bought 2 bags of the sand at the time.

Can I just put it in a zip lock bag and dispense it at the bottom of the tank?

Will that cause a nitrite spike or anything I should be aware of?

thanks.

Mavrk · 09/15/2010, 12:46 AM

1. Make sure you rinse it.
2. Add it very slowly. I would spread it out over as long as period as you can. Normally I say 1/4 inch every other week, but I don't know how much the 5 pounds is going to raise it (too tired to figure the math). Also with such a new tank the concerns are not the same.

geaux xman · 09/15/2010, 01:00 AM

well i've been running my MP10 on on left side of the tank(24x12x14). i guess with the current, it blew away all the sand on the front right corner. the spot is about 5x5" without any sand.

thats where i want to put the sand.

Tony78 · 09/15/2010, 02:15 AM

Chances are if you put new sand in that bare spot... it will blow away also. At 1.5 months old your tank should be getting to the point where the sand will stay put because the bacteria has "weighed it down". I bet that bare spot was created when the tank was new and the sand was light. It should stay put now. I'd first try very carefully pushing some of the near by sand onto the bare spot without stirring it up too much. I'd turn off any powerheads and pumps while doing this to avoid a sandstorm.

Rockhead21564 · 09/15/2010, 04:59 PM

Rinse it real well, then use a bowel or pitcher. Slowly fill it and then sink it slowly. You can add it all the same time, no nitrate or whatever spikes, in innate, no bio load, possible small cycle, maybe

eckel82 · 09/15/2010, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockhead21564

rinse it real well, then use a bowel or pitcher. Slowly fill it and then sink it slowly. You can add it all the same time, no nitrate or whatever spikes, in innate, no bio load, possible small cycle, maybe

+1

wilsonreefs · 09/15/2010, 08:13 PM

you may also see a small diatom bloom. but, maybe not...

Carl

Mavrk · 09/15/2010, 09:44 PM

Yeah, if you have a bare spot, then go ahead and put it in. If you were piling on top of existing sand it would be different. You should see no cycle at all.

09/15/2010, 12:31 AM	#1
geaux xman Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 3,279	i want to add 5 more lbs of sand 1.5 month old 17g with 2 clowns. before i started cycling, i had put in 20lbs of CarabSea "live" fiji pink sand. now i want to add another 5lbs. I bought 2 bags of the sand at the time. Can I just put it in a zip lock bag and dispense it at the bottom of the tank? Will that cause a nitrite spike or anything I should be aware of? thanks.

09/15/2010, 04:59 PM	#5
Rockhead21564 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Up North Vanderbilt, Michigan Posts: 525	Rinse it real well, then use a bowel or pitcher. Slowly fill it and then sink it slowly. You can add it all the same time, no nitrate or whatever spikes, in innate, no bio load, possible small cycle, maybe __________________ Sometimes I just don't get IT ! I want IT, but she won't let me buy anything else. Well, that she knows about anyway, Bah hahahaha Current Tank Info: 280g reef w/90g refug/reef & 90g sump;210g FOWLR W/20"Pnthr Grper,10"niger,36"zebra & 24" Tiger eels. 55g clam tank w/ 9,"8",6",5"& 4" Corceas, 9" Blue &12"orange squamosas

09/15/2010, 12:46 AM	#2
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	1. Make sure you rinse it. 2. Add it very slowly. I would spread it out over as long as period as you can. Normally I say 1/4 inch every other week, but I don't know how much the 5 pounds is going to raise it (too tired to figure the math). Also with such a new tank the concerns are not the same.

09/15/2010, 01:00 AM	#3
geaux xman Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 3,279	well i've been running my MP10 on on left side of the tank(24x12x14). i guess with the current, it blew away all the sand on the front right corner. the spot is about 5x5" without any sand. thats where i want to put the sand.

09/15/2010, 02:15 AM	#4
Tony78 Boston Terrier Fan Club Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Bolingbrook IL Posts: 209	Chances are if you put new sand in that bare spot... it will blow away also. At 1.5 months old your tank should be getting to the point where the sand will stay put because the bacteria has "weighed it down". I bet that bare spot was created when the tank was new and the sand was light. It should stay put now. I'd first try very carefully pushing some of the near by sand onto the bare spot without stirring it up too much. I'd turn off any powerheads and pumps while doing this to avoid a sandstorm.

09/15/2010, 08:13 PM	#7
wilsonreefs Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Jonesboro, Ar Posts: 284	you may also see a small diatom bloom. but, maybe not... Carl

09/15/2010, 09:44 PM	#8
Mavrk Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: California - South Bay Area Posts: 2,775	Yeah, if you have a bare spot, then go ahead and put it in. If you were piling on top of existing sand it would be different. You should see no cycle at all.