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Adding new sand to existing setup

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Reeferforlyfe, Apr 10, 2012.

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  1. Apr 10, 2012 #1
    Reeferforlyfe

    Reeferforlyfe Inactive User

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    I bought 220 lbs of Marcos fine sand when I started this build, not thinking about power heads and blowing sand all over the place. Tank is 14 months old. My mp40 makes it look like a sand storm in there..
    Questions are:
    1) How much new sand can I add at a time over how long of a period?
    2) I need big chunks, going to add two more 40's so I'm talking 8000+ gallons of flow, what kind of sand do you recommend?
    3) should I layer the new sand over the top or can I remove slowly the old sand overtime to replace with the new?
    Thanks everyone
     
  2. Apr 10, 2012 #2
    PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    I suggest getting rid of the old stuff completely. (good luck with that!)

    The new sand that I would recommend is the Carib Sea 'special grade' reef sand. It is available in a dry bag or also wet (aragalive).

    I have not used it personally but I do intend to. It is generally recommended if you have vortiechs because it is a little heavier and bigger (1-2mm) so it is less prone to sandstorms.

    I don't have a recommendation for how much new sand and over what time period.

    This auto spell checker is a joke.
     
  3. Apr 10, 2012 #3
    Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    I wrote a little rap song about this topic.

    Ditch the sand,
    Crank up the flow,
    Watch your SPS grow.

    Word to your mother....colonies.


     
  4. Apr 10, 2012 #4
    PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Yeah I was going to recommend bare bottom but he didn't ask. Ha ha.
     
  5. Apr 10, 2012 #5
    Reeferforlyfe

    Reeferforlyfe Inactive User

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    lol, I don't want to ditch the sand totally, as I would have to rescape my whole tank, and my rocks are fused together. I will get rid of as much sand as possible, but will replace with that Carib sea sand. My next tank will be bare bottom, as I love how Jim's tank looks.
    So any ideas on how much sand and how much time I should wait before each sand change session? 
    Thanks!
     
  6. Apr 10, 2012 #6
    Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    I would think you could just add the heavier stuff over the old stuff w/o taking any out without too much of an issue. You are gonna piss some things off either way I would think.
     
  7. Apr 10, 2012 #7
    Gordo Dallas Center

    Gordo

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    I had good success adding sand with PVC tubing that reached the bottom, helped cut down the dust up.  Good luck!
     
  8. Apr 10, 2012 #8
    Reeferforlyfe

    Reeferforlyfe Inactive User

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    Tank isn't too heavily stocked. What do you think I would tick off? My fish or corals? I've got a yellow tang that I'm about ready to put a bullet in its head when I catch it... He's attacking everyone and he's the reason my powder blue bit the dust..
    I was going to take out about 50 lbs of the fine sand and then add the other caribsea Special grade. 
     
  9. Apr 16, 2012 #9
    Reeferforlyfe

    Reeferforlyfe Inactive User

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    So I just got the 80 lbs of special grade sand from caribsea. It says on the bag to be careful when adding new sand to existing tank. I'm sure this will have an effect on my bioload won't it? The sand I have is fine sand, and it just traps the detrius anyways.


    So should I remove the sand and add the new? I'm only going to be able to remove half if not a third cuz I'm not moving my rock work to get to the other sand. Thoughts? I'm going to start doing this is a few hours.. Or should I take some out, and add new sand over a period of about a week?
     
  10. Apr 16, 2012 #10
    PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    Have fun with this. Sounds awful.

    If it were me I would get all of that other sand out. It seems to me that eventually the course sand will get interspersed with the fine sand through vacuuming, re-aquasacping, gravity, or any number of sand bed disturbing events.

    But it sounds like you are going to keep it, or at least a lot of it. So therefore I would recommend cleaning the hell out of it. I wouldn't add any new sand at all until you are sure your fine sand is 100% clean. Otherwise you are going to have a crazy detritus and nitrate soup for a tank in short time as you remove that sand.

     
  11. Apr 16, 2012 #11
    Reeferforlyfe

    Reeferforlyfe Inactive User

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    Yea, this is going to be a b$&@?
     
  12. Apr 16, 2012 #12
    PotRoast

    PotRoast Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    I would QT any coral and fish that you can for this if I were you.

    I would say there is a 100% chance something is going to die during this process if you don't QT.

     
  13. Apr 16, 2012 #13
    Tholton33

    Tholton33 Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    its not going to be very good, all that crap buried in the sand it going to enter the water again. i wouldnt be surprised if you see a mini cycle... QT would be a very good idea
     
  14. Apr 16, 2012 #14
    Reeferforlyfe

    Reeferforlyfe Inactive User

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    So I removed 40 lbs of sand, and replaced it with 40 lbs of caribsea. Water is clear already, corals are great. I ended up just basically throwing an extra layer of sand atop of the old sand. Tank looks way good
     
  15. Apr 16, 2012 #15
    Tholton33

    Tholton33 Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    good to hear! i was thinking you were trying to replace all your sand.
     
  16. Apr 16, 2012 #16
    Reeferforlyfe

    Reeferforlyfe Inactive User

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    lol no way.... way to complicated... ill post some pics right now
     
  17. Apr 16, 2012 #17
    Reeferforlyfe

    Reeferforlyfe Inactive User

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    [​IMG]" src="%3Ca%20href=%22http://s1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj525/musbtr1pin/Snapbucket/?action=view&current=AD481938.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj525/musbtr1pin/Snapbucket/AD481938.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22Uploaded%20with%20Snapbucket%22%3E%3C/a%3E">




    [​IMG]" src="%3Ca%20href=%22http://s1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj525/musbtr1pin/Snapbucket/?action=view&current=FA41C2A2.jpg%22%20target=%22_blank%22%3E%3Cimg%20src=%22http://i1266.photobucket.com/albums/jj525/musbtr1pin/Snapbucket/FA41C2A2.jpg%22%20border=%220%22%20alt=%22Uploaded%20with%20Snapbucket%22%3E%3C/a%3E">







    I dont know why its posting double.... oh well
     
  18. Apr 16, 2012 #18
    fishyness

    fishyness Inactive User

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    I'm with Potroast on this. Bare bottom or just a sprinkling of sand so you don't get the mirror effect. I use just barely enough to cover the bottom and it's all I'm ever going to do......enough to keep the CUC happy...[​IMG]
     
  19. Apr 16, 2012 #19
    danmgray Sioux City, IA

    danmgray Well-Known ReefKeeper

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    It looks good!
     
  20. Apr 17, 2012 #20
    Reeferforlyfe

    Reeferforlyfe Inactive User

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    Thanks, buddy!
     
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