can I change out my sandbed?

[daidevo]

Sorry this may be a long post
I had someone else set up my tank about 8 months ago but I'm coming to realize they did some things wrong. One of the things is the sandbed is only about 2 inches and now I would like to have a DSB. The sand that is in there now has all kinds of 'junk' on it; pieces that fell off the rocks, rubble, etc. and it looks really bad.
This is my plan but wanted to run it by someone more experienced first -
take out the LR, scop out all the sand and add a new 4 inch layer of sand then put the live rock back in. I have 4 fish in the tank now and nothing else. Would this be ok to do in an established system? I'm tired of looking at dirty sand all the time.
thanks everyone!

 

[bertoni]

A 4" sandbed is pretty marginal for a DSB. I went for 6". How big is the tank? Under 40g or so, the value of the DSB can be pretty marginal.

I've switched my substrate pretty much the way you describe. Keeping the live rock in water at all times probably helps, as does keeping the temperature up. Having some Amquel Plus and premixed saltwater for changes is a good idea, too. The tank might show some "cycle" effects.

 

[daidevo]

it's 100 gal. so you think I would be better off with 6 inches?
can you also clarify - with a DSB I dont vacuum the substrate? what happens when the brown algae starts growing?

 

[bertoni]

With a DSB, you don't want to vacuum the sandbed because you'll remove the animals that make it live. If the bed is set up properly and the tank isn't being overfed, you shouldn't see the brown film type of problem.

Setting up a DSB is not trivial. This thread covers some substrate choices. It might be useful.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=803688

 

[mg426]

I switched my crushed coral (what a mess that stuff was) for a DSB. Just scooped it out the way bertoni described. Then added a 5 inch DSB. I did half of the tank at a time, waited two weeks between halves. I did not have any problems except the sand storm for a day or so.

 

[spoiledcats]

I went from bare bottom to 4" of sand. Just rinsed really well for days and added it. It was a project, but I didn't have any problems with it. My tank has been established for about 5 years before I did this by the way.

 

[adam_not4u]

Depending on how established the tank is....

I've heard nasty things that can occur just by sturring up an established DSB!

If you don't have anything in it but fish (IMO) it might not be that big of a deal.

*note* I'm putting the DSB in my sump/fuge so it can be isolated to clean the surface if ever cleaned. I like the idea of a DSB but don't like the layers and gases that are trapped in my display!