Going back to sand bed

[Dolfan]

Well I've really been "inactive" from the hobby and ReefCentral for a long time. While my tank has been up and running with inhabitants for over 12 years, things are not in great shape now.

90 gallon with a 55g sump running a Kent Marine skimmer. The current conditions have chronic algae issues and high nitrates from lacking maintenance. I'm down to just 3 fish, from it's hay day of 8 fish and various corals

I've just started up a bio-pellet reactor learning about this technology that was not there 10 year ago but I also think I want to back to a sand bed that will look better and can be cleaned periodically.

When I pulled all my sand for the bare bottom I cleaned it like crazy, rinsing it for ever and letting it dry before storing away in some tubs. I'm ready to go the other way now and I checked the tubs and I'm not getting any awful smells so I think the sand is pretty clean.

My plan was to once again rinse the sand out thoroughly before putting it into the tank. I'm not sure if I need to rinse with RO water or not? It's been pouring here all day and wonder if I can just toss it outside into the rain! I was planning a 25% water change while I did this with my 3 fish temporarily in a 10g tank.

I'm interested in any comments and guidance folks may have about "re-booting" my tank with the sand and not doing a complete tear down

 

[thegrun]

I would suggest testing the water the sand has been sitting in for nitrates and phosphates as the sand can absorb both and then release them back into your new system, causing algae issues. If the water is not high in either wash the sand with regular tap water, drain as much water as possible, flush it once with some RO/DI water, drain again and you should be good to go. I personally would not reuse the sand if it is high in nitrates or phosphates, the aggravation and cost of fighting algae exceeds the value of the sand.

 

[Dolfan]

I had considered testing the rinse water as you suggest. I actually did use rain water to do the main rinsing but I will give it a check to see how the levels are.

I'm trying to clean everything I can as I pull things out, I knew this was going to be a big job!

 

[Dolfan]

Tested the water while rinsing the sand and No Way, super high nitrate levels so off to buy some substrate, I think I'll do crushed coral type and maybe later do a remote DSB.

 

[sculpin2]

I think the key to avoiding nitrate and phosphate buildup is to be aggressive from the start with phosphate removal (GFO reactor, carbon dosing, skimming, Phosguard, etc.) and a denitrating strategy (DSB, carbon dosing, large volumes of porous live rock, sulfur denitrator, Siporax, MarinePure blocks, etc.). Also, you might want to consider a skimmer upgrade. They have changed a lot from the early 2000's, when the best you could get was a Turbofloater.

BTW, I was on this board back then (starting around 1998), quit when I had kids (2005), and am now back ("for the kids"), so I understand where you are coming from...

Mike

 

[Dolfan]

I think the key to avoiding nitrate and phosphate buildup is to be aggressive from the start with phosphate removal (GFO reactor, carbon dosing, skimming, Phosguard, etc.) and a denitrating strategy (DSB, carbon dosing, large volumes of porous live rock, sulfur denitrator, Siporax, MarinePure blocks, etc.). Also, you might want to consider a skimmer upgrade. They have changed a lot from the early 2000's, when the best you could get was a Turbofloater.

BTW, I was on this board back then (starting around 1998), quit when I had kids (2005), and am now back ("for the kids"), so I understand where you are coming from...

Mike

Yeah, just learned about the biopellets and running a reactor for a nitrate strategy, didn't know anything of that. I've already got a reactor hooked up and now I'm just doing this huge cleaning and removal of the faux bottom. After pulling it out I think that is a bad way to go. The faux bottom give dirt and algae a place to hold onto it was a mess for sure.

Yes, things sometime get in the way. In my case not family but a serious racing addiction! Good thing is I'm not done with it just stabilized and I can devote some time to the aquarium.

 

[Dolfan]

OK, well the tanks was in bad sorts not a fan of the faux bottom for sure.

My nitrates were off the charts and I know when I pulled that bottom out it probably got a bit worse. I have done about a 70% water change and have all fresh gravel in the tank and it has been filtering for 2 days with the skimmer and biopellets started. No inhabitants yet.

I tested the nitrates and it is way down to about 30-40, far from perfect but considering it was probably 160-200 it's pristine! I'm thinking of just changing a bit more water maybe another 10g or so to see if I can start thing off with the tank in the 20-30 range and continue with small changes each week to get it down < 10 or so and put my 3 fish back in soon. Somehow they were living with those conditions so I think this will be great for them.

Thoughts?