Sand Storm

RyanFlorida · 07/25/2006, 02:37 PM

I just re-started my 125G show. It had been in the garage for the last 4-5 years. So I filled it up added the salt and went with aragonite aragamax and aragalive fine grain sand. What a sand storm. It is clearing slowlybut I have noticed it seems easy to create small sand storms if the sand is disturbed. Does this go away with time? Did I get to fine a grain? Should I add a slightly larger grain on top? It looks great but I want my water to be crystal clear not hazy because the sand has been disturbed a little by the thank inhabitants.

Rock Anemone · 07/25/2006, 02:45 PM

RyanFlorida,

To Reef Central

Once bacteria starts to grow and colonize the sand, it will help keep it down.

sir_dudeguy · 07/25/2006, 03:55 PM

not only what rock anemone said, but did you wash it out first? you gotta wash it out in like a bucket or something first, just to get all the dust out...it takes quite a while sometimes, but you dont get nearly as big of sandstorm, and you get all the stuff that keeps kicking up out too.

you've already added salt to it tho, so i'd say you could just run some carbon in a filter for a while..its helped me whenever i get the storms...it clears it in a day or 2.

graveyardworm · 07/25/2006, 05:37 PM

From what I understand its best not to rinse the sand the fine dust is a good thing to have. Once the sand bed infauna begin to stir the sand bed the fine particles will quickly work their way down into the bed. Also like rock anemone said.

Dubbin1 · 07/25/2006, 05:39 PM

There is no need to rinse the sand. Just do the trash bag trick like I did. You can see how clear the water stayed even when I was adding the water.

AquaReeferMan · 07/25/2006, 06:31 PM

I agree with the trash bag method. I change my substrate out and placed the trashbags over the sand. I filled the tank up and removed the trash bags. It was not cloudy at all.

07/25/2006, 02:37 PM	#1
RyanFlorida Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Surf City, USA Posts: 23	Sand Storm I just re-started my 125G show. It had been in the garage for the last 4-5 years. So I filled it up added the salt and went with aragonite aragamax and aragalive fine grain sand. What a sand storm. It is clearing slowlybut I have noticed it seems easy to create small sand storms if the sand is disturbed. Does this go away with time? Did I get to fine a grain? Should I add a slightly larger grain on top? It looks great but I want my water to be crystal clear not hazy because the sand has been disturbed a little by the thank inhabitants.

07/25/2006, 02:45 PM	#2
Rock Anemone S.C.U.B.A. :) Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: California Posts: 7,674	RyanFlorida, *To Reef Central* Once bacteria starts to grow and colonize the sand, it will help keep it down. __________________ Johnny Love Current Tank Info: <><

07/25/2006, 03:55 PM	#3
sir_dudeguy Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 10,841	not only what rock anemone said, but did you wash it out first? you gotta wash it out in like a bucket or something first, just to get all the dust out...it takes quite a while sometimes, but you dont get nearly as big of sandstorm, and you get all the stuff that keeps kicking up out too. you've already added salt to it tho, so i'd say you could just run some carbon in a filter for a while..its helped me whenever i get the storms...it clears it in a day or 2. __________________ TAKE...LUCK!!!

07/25/2006, 05:37 PM	#4
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	From what I understand its best not to rinse the sand the fine dust is a good thing to have. Once the sand bed infauna begin to stir the sand bed the fine particles will quickly work their way down into the bed. Also like rock anemone said. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

07/25/2006, 06:31 PM	#6
AquaReeferMan Got Reef? Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Under the Sea, Pa Posts: 4,593	I agree with the trash bag method. I change my substrate out and placed the trashbags over the sand. I filled the tank up and removed the trash bags. It was not cloudy at all. __________________ Couple SPS/Zoanthid tanks and a couple of FW planted tanks. Current Tank Info: 5 pieces of glass with some silicone and plastic frames holding them together

07/25/2006, 05:39 PM	#5
Dubbin1 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Findlay, Ohio Posts: 11,540	There is no need to rinse the sand. Just do the trash bag trick like I did. You can see how clear the water stayed even when I was adding the water.