Adding sand,4 month old tank,advice please?

[specialreef]

Hello everyone.

I currently have only 40 pounds of live sand in my 55,i want to add another 80 pounds or so for a DSB. I really need the DSB. Well i want to do it the right way,and only once.LoL

My tank is 4 months old with 75-80 lbs of live rock, one condy anemone,one pulsin Xenia,one diamondback goby,and the clean up crews. Im thinking on adding one bag of caribsea aragonite sand and another bag of caribsea aragonite "live" sand for a total of 80 pounds which should give me about 4 inches.

I need some tips/advice/opinions on when/how to actually drop the sand in. How deep of a sand bed? I dont want the DSB to look exxagerated.

 

[clownin'round]

since all of the beneficial bacteria live within the top maybe 1/2" of sand you will need to add a little sand at a time over a period of time. if you add all at once you will just kill all of the bacteria and micro organisms you already have in there.
as far as how to add....you will probably have to do it one cup at a time at the bottom of your tank. dumping the bag in will only cause a dust storm.

 

[specialreef]

Wow. Thats reallyyyy slow process.

 

[papagimp]

Everything in this hobby should be a slow process. Better safe than sorry.

 

[ddm_aet]

You can take a 2 to 4" pvc pipe and use it as a shoot.
Put it right on the bottom and pour the sand in slowly.
You will get a little disturbance but not much.

You can even move the pipe around and place the sand where you want. Just don't pull the pipe out fast or you'll blow the sand all over the place.

I hope that makes sense, I've done it a few times now and it works great.

 

[jong101]

quick tip on releasing the sand in the tank, put it into a sandwich bag, and push all the air out. Then slowly open at the bottom of the tank. it will help prevent clouds of sand

 

[specialreef]

What is the best number in inches for the DSB? Also how much is too much,when adding the sand on top of the already existing sand bed? What kind of sand is better when adding sand,"live sand" bags of arag. or just bags of arag. sand?

Thank you everyone for all the help.

 

[specialreef]

BUMP.

 

[SquidHC]

Theres no reason at this point to add "live" sand. Its way over priced and unnecessary. The sand you already have is established and will quickly populate the new sand. They say 1 cup of "live" sand will populate a new tank. I dont know how accurate this is but its what everyone says. Every day before work add like 2 cups of sand. it will get blown around and shoudnt have any impact on your already established bed. Oh and I have seen people say anywhere from 2-4 inches for there sand bed. Frankly I think it has alot to do with preferance. If you want burrowing animals then 3" is good I think.

 

[specialreef]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9696936#post9696936 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SquidHC
Oh and I have seen people say anywhere from 2-4 inches for there sand bed. Frankly I think it has alot to do with preferance. If you want burrowing animals then 3" is good I think.

Well what would be the difference between 2-4 inches and 3'', my sand bed is one and a half of already established bed.

 

[specialreef]

I would love to have the DSB as soon as possible?, are DSB worth the effort/patience?

 

[specialreef]

Bump!

 

[specialreef]

:wavehand:

 

[specialreef]

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