Can I add more sand?

[Salty Brother]

I dont like the look of my sand becuase it is too low, only about an 1". So I was wondering if I could add more, I have about 2gals worth in a bucket that was rinsed from an old tank. The tank has been set up for a month and a half. And Im going to do a wc today so it would be perfect!
Thanks,
Patrick

 

[grips]

Do you have any livestock in the tank?

The problem with adding sand to an established tank is that it can cause a sand storm. If you have any livestock it could adversely effect the health of the tank inhabitants.

I've read that to avoid this, you can slowly pour the clean rinsed sand into a funnel that goes into a section of pvc tube straight to the bottom. I would also turn off any powerheads and returns until the sand was settled.

I've never done this though. This is just based on what I've read in these forums.

 

[STEELERFAN747]

You should be able to do it no problem.
#1. Make sure it is clean. (you dont want detritus flying around)
#2. Try putting it in a large sandwich bag, so you could pour it in the general area you would like to add it and then using a scraper you could push it, if you need it to get to the harder areas.

Just make sure the sand already in the tank has been siphoned so that as much detritus has been removed before it's buried in the tank underneath the new sand.

Hope this helps you out,
Let me know how it goes.

 

[jdieck]

Because it as been set a month and a half I shall assume that your pod and worm population has already been developing and you do not want to completely bury them.
You can add sand but try to do it in thin layers at a time to give time to the undergravel pods to rise to the surface.
The best method I have found is what steel describe above:
a) Rinse the sand and leave it wet
b) get some 1 gal polyethilene bags. Put the sand in the plastic bags, one to two pounds of sand in each bag
c) Remove the tank tops, canopy and lights so you can work freely
d) Turn off all your pumps
e) Grab one bag and close the top with one hand and lower it all the way to the botom of the sand and without releasing te top flip it over until the bag mouth is as close to the bottom as possible , slowly release the bag top and allow water to enter the bag. Grab the bottom of the bag and slowly rise it to let the sand in the bag empty very slowly on top of the existing sand.
Once the bag is empty close the bag top again with your hand so remining sand or dirt do not get released as you pull it out. The get the bag out and repeat the process with the next bag on a diferent part of the sand. Once you are done slowly spread the sand mounds with a scraper or similar thing being careful not to disturb it much and to not disturb the existing bed.
f) Turn on your recirculation pump and skimmer. Do not turn on internal recirculation powerheads or closed loop for a couple of days.

 

[Salty Brother]

Ok, thanks for all the help, Ill let you know how it goes.