replacing live sand question

megret · 12/07/2006, 03:02 PM

Here I go again. 2 day project. (2 clowns,star serpent,hermits,snails and a huge sinularia and a few small mixed softies)3 year old tank,eclipse 29 gallon,with added flow, (40 watts actinic/marine glo) ,40 lbs. LR, with 2 inches of very live sand, tons of pods and feathers,chitons(?), etc.......with possible toxic effects going on in the sand bed (black rubble and black streaks in and on the sand bed).Constant film on my surface if I do not perform a daily 1 gallon water change...and of course, my battle with hair algae.
I think the sand needs to go. The question is, all of it or partial?
It is figi sand, put in almost 3 years ago.

I have emptied and refilled the tanks and inhabitants before, but never the sand. - moving the tank 2x in 3 years.... should I just take out half old sand, and replace with half? My rock work needs attention as well.
I will transfer the exisiting tanks' water into two receptacles. Heaters and filter pump in place. I will vacumn the sand out . Corraline needs to be scraped off from the glass as well. Then carefully replace the water back into the 29gallon after the new sand and old rock is laid. Let settle. Add heater back.
Before I do above:
I am prepping a 16 gallon tub to hold half the exisiting water from the 29 gallon and all rock that does not have corals attached.
Then the ten gallon tank for some rock ,corals and clowns....snails and hermits, too. The ten gallon does not have light......
Buckets will be ready to quickly rinse rock of debris before putting back into the tank.
I might plan to keep 20 pounds of live rock out to cook if I can not scrap the bulk of hair aglae off some of the rocks. ...
By adding new live sand this way, and removing half the rock, will I be causing a cycle? How long can I keep the corals without lights in the 10 gallon if something goes wrong? Up to 2 days? I can suspend the eclipse lights if I need to if something drastically goes wrong....

Thanks for any imput...
Meg

bertoni · 12/08/2006, 09:02 PM

I'm not sure I'd replace half the sand. I'd do either all or none. How deep is the sandbed and do you want it to do filtration?

12/07/2006, 03:02 PM	#1
megret Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: palm coast, florida Posts: 30	replacing live sand question Here I go again. 2 day project. (2 clowns,star serpent,hermits,snails and a huge sinularia and a few small mixed softies)3 year old tank,eclipse 29 gallon,with added flow, (40 watts actinic/marine glo) ,40 lbs. LR, with 2 inches of very live sand, tons of pods and feathers,chitons(?), etc.......with possible toxic effects going on in the sand bed (black rubble and black streaks in and on the sand bed).Constant film on my surface if I do not perform a daily 1 gallon water change...and of course, my battle with hair algae. I think the sand needs to go. The question is, all of it or partial? It is figi sand, put in almost 3 years ago. I have emptied and refilled the tanks and inhabitants before, but never the sand. - moving the tank 2x in 3 years.... should I just take out half old sand, and replace with half? My rock work needs attention as well. I will transfer the exisiting tanks' water into two receptacles. Heaters and filter pump in place. I will vacumn the sand out . Corraline needs to be scraped off from the glass as well. Then carefully replace the water back into the 29gallon after the new sand and old rock is laid. Let settle. Add heater back. Before I do above: I am prepping a 16 gallon tub to hold half the exisiting water from the 29 gallon and all rock that does not have corals attached. Then the ten gallon tank for some rock ,corals and clowns....snails and hermits, too. The ten gallon does not have light...... Buckets will be ready to quickly rinse rock of debris before putting back into the tank. I might plan to keep 20 pounds of live rock out to cook if I can not scrap the bulk of hair aglae off some of the rocks. ... By adding new live sand this way, and removing half the rock, will I be causing a cycle? How long can I keep the corals without lights in the 10 gallon if something goes wrong? Up to 2 days? I can suspend the eclipse lights if I need to if something drastically goes wrong.... Thanks for any imput... Meg

12/08/2006, 09:02 PM	#2
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I'm not sure I'd replace half the sand. I'd do either all or none. How deep is the sandbed and do you want it to do filtration? __________________ Jonathan Bertoni