Replacing live sand

isaacballas · 02/10/2015, 11:26 AM

I have a 20 gallon reef tank with 45 pounds of live rock.
I would like to remove my live sand and replace it with another color of live sand.
My sand is regularly stirred so my question is what would be the best way to go about changing the sand, will it cause a mini cycle, and will it kill any fish. Thank you.
It is a 3.5" sand bed

cloak · 02/10/2015, 12:31 PM

How often do you do water changes? The safest way is to just remove small portions at a time. If your doing water changes once a week, maybe siphon out a third of it this week, a third of it next week etc. When your ready to add the new sand, this can be added all at once. Just make sure to rinse it thoroughly before you do so. GL.

isaacballas · 02/10/2015, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cloak

How often do you do water changes? The safest way is to just remove small portions at a time. If your doing water changes once a week, maybe siphon out a third of it this week, a third of it next week etc. When your ready to add the new sand, this can be added all at once. Just make sure to rinse it thoroughly before you do so. GL.

I do weekly water changes, but would adding a new bag of LIVE sand cause my tank to go through a cycle ?

cloak · 02/10/2015, 01:14 PM

I don't think so. It's basically just sand packaged in the same bacteria you already have in your tank. There's nothing dead or decaying in it.

Disregard the "rinse it thoroughly" part above. I forgot that you said you'll be using live sand again.

3FordFamily · 02/10/2015, 01:23 PM

Agree with the other response

Dan_P · 02/10/2015, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by isaacballas

I do weekly water changes, but would adding a new bag of LIVE sand cause my tank to go through a cycle ?

What do you mean "through a cycle"?

Replacing all the sand might restart all the new tank nuisance growth. You might get lucky though.

02/10/2015, 11:26 AM	#1
isaacballas Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 6	Replacing live sand I have a 20 gallon reef tank with 45 pounds of live rock. I would like to remove my live sand and replace it with another color of live sand. My sand is regularly stirred so my question is what would be the best way to go about changing the sand, will it cause a mini cycle, and will it kill any fish. Thank you. It is a 3.5" sand bed Last edited by isaacballas; 02/10/2015 at 11:37 AM.

02/10/2015, 01:14 PM	#4
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	I don't think so. It's basically just sand packaged in the same bacteria you already have in your tank. There's nothing dead or decaying in it. Disregard the "rinse it thoroughly" part above. I forgot that you said you'll be using live sand again. Last edited by cloak; 02/10/2015 at 01:31 PM.

02/10/2015, 12:31 PM	#2
cloak Moved On Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Stockton, CA Posts: 14,854	How often do you do water changes? The safest way is to just remove small portions at a time. If your doing water changes once a week, maybe siphon out a third of it this week, a third of it next week etc. When your ready to add the new sand, this can be added all at once. Just make sure to rinse it thoroughly before you do so. GL.

02/10/2015, 01:23 PM	#5
3FordFamily Registered Member. Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Fishers, Indiana (Indianapolis suburb) Posts: 488	Agree with the other response