Got Sand?!

[bugs713]

My 185 is about 16 months old and I started with 80 lbs of sugar fine and about 40 lbs of medium grain, all Aragonite Aragamax from Carib-Sea.

A Good 30 lbs of sand volume has dissolved in the 16 months of setup and I find that amazing! I have noticed the tanks Ca consumption has doubled in the last 12 months, which I make up for with auto dosing.

This tank has high flow which causes some dunes and my goby almost always has sand suspended with his vacuuming...

Is this normal? Have you had to add sand over time? How much?

Thanks?

 

[coralreefjunkie]

Phill, your observation is correct. I have personally experienced the depletion of sand, which dissolved over time and helped buffer the water.

This was most evident in my deep sand bed. I lost about 1/2" per year. I think the finer the grain, the faster the dissolve... Some may think that sand is lost during water change/vacuuming. But this is not true, as folks with DSB do not vacuuming the substrate.

 

[SKAREEF]

Sounds like you have great gas exchange. Similar to a calc reactor... In my old 400 I had about1-1/2" to 2" of aragonite sand, over 7 year period, when I relocated it. I was almost left with a BB.

 

[SKAREEF]

P.S- you could always put a parrot fish in there to recoup some loss.....:spin2:

 

[Weyrman]

Sounds like you have great gas exchange.

Only makes sense here... :lol2:

 

[coralreefjunkie]

LMAO! You guys are hilarious.

Yeah, a reef buddy of my gave me a stoplight parrot. He's been eating pellets for the time being. I can't wait until he eats the rocks and manufactures some sand....

Do you think I can manage the gas with BEANO?

 

[Weyrman]

LMAO! You guys are hilarious.

Yeah, a reef buddy of my gave me a stoplight parrot. He's been eating pellets for the time being. I can't wait until he eats the rocks and manufactures some sand....

Do you think I can manage the gas with BEANO?

If, and only if, you think you can get your fish to actually eat Beano. I've tried to get my mom to eat it. I even mixed it in with her food. No dice. Fortunately I live several states away.

As a result, I haven't even tried it with my fish.

Maybe bugs can come up with a similar BS filter like the one he devised for filtering out C02 gases!

On a separate note. I hear there's a princess that spins straw into gold. What do you suppose your stoplight parrat would deposit if fed a diet of straw?


Hope you don't mind the thread "hi-jack" Phil. You are certainly one of the most qualified persons here regarding the distribution of gas!

 

[jporter]

If, and only if, you think you can get your fish to actually eat Beano. I've tried to get my mom to eat it. I even mixed it in with her food. No dice. Fortunately I live several states away.

As a result, I haven't even tried it with my fish.

Maybe bugs can come up with a similar BS filter like the one he devised for filtering out C02 gases!

On a separate note. I hear there's a princess that spins straw into gold. What do you suppose your stoplight parrat would deposit if fed a diet of straw?


Hope you don't mind the thread "hi-jack" Phil. You are certainly one of the most qualified persons here regarding the distribution of gas!

This distribution of gas comment response coming from someone that owns 8 motor vehicles. Can't anyone be serious here?

Phil back to your sand depletion question - I have the same issue. I started with mostly a fine grain sand and now it seems like only the bigger size is left. My rainford goby still seems to find some of the finer sand but I see it is diminishing.

 

[zibba]

I've experienced quite a bit of sand loss, but didn't think to attribute it to that. Interesting. I assumed it was due to me sucking it out during water changes. I've added about 10-20 lbs of new sand since starting my tanks 9-months ago. I'm due to add more sand again, actually.

 

[bugs713]

Leave this thread alone for a few days and looks what happens! Good thing I never high jack.....:frog:
Really Roy, sneaking Beano in your moms food?! I'm still lmao!:lol2:

I now think the increased movement of my sand from high flow and fish help to dissolve it quicker. I am now working to invent a tube of sorts to deliver replacement sand to the bottom of a 38" deep tank without sand storming the tank.

Thanks for the input, think I will try the Beano on my mom.
:rollface:

 

[SKAREEF]

Leave this thread alone for a few days and looks what happens! Good thing I never high jack.....:frog:
Really Roy, sneaking Beano in your moms food?! I'm still lmao!:lol2:

I now think the increased movement of my sand from high flow and fish help to dissolve it quicker. I am now working to invent a tube of sorts to deliver replacement sand to the bottom of a 38" deep tank without sand storming the tank.

Thanks for the input, think I will try the Beano on my mom.
:rollface:

I have use a aquarium vacuum tube. I got the big one that extended to over 24", cut the hose connection part off and added sand in the top. Worked well for me because I was able to have the top out of the water. With your tank your will need a long tube. No pun intended.

 

[coralreefjunkie]

If I remember correctly, you (Phiill) have very fine sand. When I added sand to my system, I found it better to:
1. Rinse the sand and leave it soaked in salt water for a day or two (as it's easier to add wet sand than dry sand and saturated grains settle faster)
2. Find a 2" diameter pvc pipe long enough to reach the bottom of the tank
3. Pour the sand into the top of the pipe; periodically angle the pipe to allow some tank water to pour in to the top to get the sand to the bottom
4. Don't lift the tube out right away; let things settle a few minutes and slowly lift the tube, as sand is still suspended inside the tube

Oh, I forgot, remember to turn the pump off when you do this...

Good luck Phill. Let me know if you need some help. I'll come over and help you, as it's a two-person job (one person takes sand from bucket and pass it it (the sand NOT the GAS) up; the other person does the pouring of the sand into the tube).