Can I 'cook' old sand?

[BtheReef]

I will be breaking down a 75 gallon tank before moving and need to know if people have any experience cleaning out an old sand bed. I will not be able to set up the tank for awhile, so I am going to cook the live rock (its over 12 years old) and restart with and upgraded system.

My problem is that I really like the sand in my tank and don't have local access to any comparable substrate. I would like to use the same sand, but I know it is loaded with detritus and such.

Could I simply put the sand in a rubbermaid container and cook it similar to live rock? Stir up the sand every few days, siphon out the dirty water, fill with clean water, and repeat for several weeks.

Has anyone had any experience cleaning out old sand to use in a new system?

Thanks for any help.

 

[taku]

I've never reused old sand but if the tank will sit unused for a while why don't you just siphon the sand into a garbage can or something and use a hose with a good nozzle to really stir and mix the sand good... wash out all the crap and let it dry out, then maybe rinse once more for good measure.

Again I don't know, but cooking sand seems like overkill..

 

[BtheReef]

Thanks for the reply taku,

'Cooking' only meant to refer to method used to cook live rock. Basically doing the procedure you mentioned, but doing it every week or so over a few months while leaving the sand in a light deprived container of salt water.

I wonder how much detritus and junk I could remove by doing this about 5 or 6 times over several weeks. I would really like to able and reuse this sand.

 

[steve the plumb]

you can keep the sand but you have to rinse it out of all the debris and detrius.

 

[acropora213]

Won't the Phosphates, Silicates , and remainder of Nitrate's also leach back out of the sand, even though it may be rinsed well ??

Sumthin to look into there " reef Base"

 

[taku]

I would rinse it in fresh water, but again I've not done this before, what would be the requirement for salt water rinsing?

Also what would happen if you boiled the sand?

 

[Reeses]

My guess is that if you boiled the sand, it would drive your neighbors to new houses with the smell :lol:

I've never heard of anyone "cooking" their sand. I can't fathom how you'd get all the old detritus out, perhaps boiling (to kill all organisms) like you suggested and then using the traditional method of rinsing the sand over and over using a bucket and hose until it is absolutely clean might work. If you can't find suitable substrate, it certainly wouldn't hurt to try it. I would think that after you were done, you'd know by smell if you got it clean or not.

If you try it, re-post the results.

 

[acropora213]

Go Starboard , its the latest craze !!

 

[BtheReef]

LOL acropora, but starboard is not for me. One of the reasons I want to try this is because I really like the 'character' of my sand. Several different grain sizes, small shells, etc. The other reason is I'll have plenty of time to attempt it before I can set the tank up again.

Good thoughts on the process. I don't think I will boil the sand. I know there's nothing harmful in it besides waste and nutrients. So, here is my new project.

I will remove the sand from the tank and place it in a rubbermaid container with about 4 inches of water above it. I will then test the water in the container for nitrates, phosphates, and pH. Once or twice a week (depending on how much a PITA it is) the sand will be stirred vigorously and the water siphoned off the top to remove as much suspended funk as possible. Each week I will also test the water to check for reductions/changes in the levels.

Of course, all test conditions are subject to change depending on levels of laziness

It will be interesting to see if I can return it to a 'clean' state. Any thought about this?

 

[steve the plumb]

I have crushed coral.I rinsed it several times before putting into my tank.Sand doesn't spoil.Use tap water or ro water it will be fine.

 

[Alaskan Reefer]

I'd probably bleach it instead of boiling it. Should get the same effect (cleaning out nutrient buildups), with the added bonus of it coming out very white...

 

[So Cal shaggy]

I never cooked sand from an old tank I would just rinse it very good with freshwater and then spread it out in a thin layer on an old bed sheet or piece of cardboard and let it air dry in the sun for a few days.

 

[BtheReef]

That's a good idea shaggy!

I could even build a frame with 2x4s and attatch the sheet across the top so I could put the sand on and hose it off like it was in a huge strainer

So, do you think this will reset the sand to a 'like new' state? When people talk about phophate leaching out of the sand, is this from the detritus in the sand or is the phosphate actually bound to the sand particles?

Thanks guys.

 

[Alaskan Reefer]

Reef Base -- that sounds like a Randy Holmes-Farley question. I could speculate, but you need a scientific answer before you put that stuff back in a tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Phosphate can bind directly to the sand, and removing it is not going to happen by simple hosing. Organic detritus loose in the sand will be washed away. The sand may also have attached metals (e.g., copper) and other undesirable impurities.

When I recently took down a 10 year old tank and set it back up in a slightly larger tank, I tossed out the sand and started with new sand because of these issues.

I discuss phosphate binding to CaCO3 in this article:

Phosphorus: Algaeââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢s Best Friend
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/sept2002/chem.htm

 

[BtheReef]

Continued discussion about reusing old sand here in the Chemistry Forum
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=6840976#post6840976