how often do you change sand?

R

reeferz2

New member
Hello,
I purchased a 125g tank that was up and running for 7 years. We moved all the old sand with it.
I have been having a phosphate problem (thank God with just a little algae!) I know about the ro/di and phosphate sponge/reactor etc etc...
But my LFS said that I should change out at least 1/2 the sand.
That is quite a big job I wish I would have known that when we set this thing up at my house two mths ago!
How often do you change your sand?
 
I've changed my sand out at least 2x a year, It also helps to bring in new bacteria. I usually take a 3/4 hose at about 10 feet or so and create a siphon, it's adding the new sand that can get a bit tricky.
I add new substrate back to the tank by slowly lowering it in 1/2 gallon containers, this it gets the job done faster.
 
i have never changed out the substrate. do you have a fuge running? if not get one running and what the phospates dissappear before your eyes.
 
Careful if you stir up the sand too much at once, you might just release a load of nitrates and trapped junk you didn't want. I haven't replaced my sand in a few years, but have nassarius snails churning it all the time. But +1 on the fuge idea if you don't have one running, and a phosphate reactor is never a bad idea.
 
Refugium, keep macro algea in there to suck up the excess nitrates and phosphates. I have a section of my sump dedicated to this, you can run a cheap 5500k screw in CF bulb to keep it happy and growing.
 
Do you have a sump already? I shop all over the place depending on what I want, but I'm in the Chicagoland area and have many options.

A fuge can be nice and cheap, just grab an old used tank and set it up under your existing tank. Or you can spend a bit on a HOB fuge.
 
I have a sump already. it has three compartments. One houses 2 protien skimmers the large one has bioballs and the third has the pump and heater in it. This guy had all this running for 7 years it is am americale?
 
Bioballs are not helpful. phase out the bioballs, a handful at a time, install sand and live rock and top off with a big wad of cheato macroalgae, lighting it nearly 24/7; you will see a big drop in nitrates and phosphates---or if no measurable phosphate, you will see algae you kill off in the main tank start NOT to replace itself, while algae in the fuge grows nicely.
 
I'm not sure how that's set up, but basically, you would have a similar setup but use one of the compartments to keep some macro algae like chaetomorpha and keep a light on it. As the water flows past, the chaeto uses up the nutrients that other pest algaes would also thrive on. Not sure how your sump is set up or if it's possible to add a fuge to it. Many people use an old tank and add glass baffles or dividers to create sections.

Melev has some great sump design examples, but mine is pretty simple, water goes into the section where my protein skimmer is, flows through to my refugium, then on into the section where my return pump is.
http://www.melevsreef.com/29g/sump/design.html

It doesn't have to be complex, or expensive, and someone local will have extra chaeto to give you for free I'm sure if you can find other nearby reefers. It's just a thought to help reduce nitrates and phosphates, not an absolute must.
 
Tropiquatics in Lombard you mean? We only have Petland in Naperville. And yeah, like Sk8r says, if you can get rid of the bioballs, that's not a bad idea. They can collect debris over time and become "nitrate factories". The point of bioballs is to create surface area for the bacteria to grow that converts ammonia->nitrites->nitrates. If you have live rock already, you don't really need this.
 
Yes Lombard, can I put the new sand/lr and m algae where the bio ball are?
that is the middle compartment?
what kind of lighting does it need?
anyone in aurora have extra m-algae???
 
I'd give you some of mine, but you don't want it (it comes with pests like flatworms).

This is our local club forum:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&forumid=180

Go there and start a new post asking for chaeto and I'm sure you'll get plenty of replies. There are a few of us in Naperville and Aurora.

Not seeing your setup I'm not sure if the algae would work where your bioballs are. But if you can get a cheap lamp fixture from Home Depot (clamp on lights are $6 plus a strong daylight 5500k-6500k CF bulb) you'd be set.
 
thx but I don't want any worms!!! I will see if there is someone close by..thx for all the advice! so it looks like I do not need to change out sand just get some m-algae and a fuge going! But really how ofen do people change the sand ?????
 
That all being said, again going back to Sk8r (if you see his posts, you'll know he's full of great advice)... make haste slowly. The more you fiddle with your tank the better your chances are of messing something up. So do tons of research before changing anything, if the tank is running well don't mess with it. For now water changes with RO/DI water may be all you need (if you don't have a unit and don't mind the drive, Tropiquatics (sp?) sells it for 50 cents a gallon).
 
Sorry, just found out Sk8r is female. Make that "her posts" and "she's full of great advice". Hope I didn't offend, Sk8r.
 
I never change sand. How much live rock is in the tank? How much is in there in terms of fish and corals?

Regarding phosphates: how much are you feeding? It took me a long time to discover that what I was thought was good feeding is actually overfeeding. I personally think that is #1 cause of algae problems. I had a hair algae problem everywhere and when I cut back feeding, it disappeared completely.

So here would be my general plan:
-Review feeding practices.
-If you don't have a lot of live rock in the tank, get more.
-Slowly phase out bioballs. Once they are gone, get a light that will light that compartment fairly well and then toss a handful of chaeto in there.

Give it some time to stabilize and I think you should be happy with the results.
 
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