Ideas and suggestions on sand removal on large tank

[29reef]

I want to get about 100lbs of fine sand out of a 220; my plan is to remove all animals and rocks and just remove the sand by hand rather than trying to suck some out at a time. Any thoughts or suggestions on doing it this way? I'm well aware of the cycle and possible losses that I will have. I'm just sick of the sand getting in the way. The tank has been set up for just about 8 years now and it's time for an update. I've updated lighting and filtration; the tank is the last phase of the swap and I've just been putting it off for months because of the amount of work it's going to be. Anyone that's done this before I'd like to hear some ideas or encouragement sense it's a bit daunting tearing down a big tank like this some of the corals are as big as basketballs.

 

[Lightsluvr]

You'll have done the hard work by removing everything before you start! :thumbsup:

I used a simple plastic dustpan to scoop up sand. The dustpan allows water to drain off while taking a lot of sand with a single scoop. If you are just replacing with a different type of material, you don't have to remove 100% of the fine sand... It's okay to leave a thin layer or mix with your new sand. If you are going with a bare bottom, you can finish by using a wet-vac.

http://www.containerstore.com/shop/madeintheUSA/cleaning?productId=10004594

Just one possibility...

LL

 

[slief]

Why not go to lowes and get some 1.5" wide clear hose and siphon it out. You will be cleaning your tank at the same time. The thick hose will pull the sand right out with minimal amounts of water if you do it right. I have a 500 and this is how I plan on getting my sand out.

 

[fireiko]

If you can drain the water out (and store it to put back) a shop vac will make quick work of that....

 

[SuperNemo]

this is the way i took my sand out, i to clear tubing 3/4 (lowes homedepot) and siphon the sand out. the siphon would pull both sand and water, but i also put a large fine stainer (made one using 100micron stainless steel mesh) or you could use felt (50 and 100 micron) is readily available. as the siphone sand/water mixture enters the felt/strainer the sand gets trapped and the water flows out. i have a corresponding cheap pump that pumps the water back into the tank. the water is vertually sand free and this can be achineves quit fast. i did my 75 gallon in less than 20 minutes. no mess, no fuss. if you use a small strainer, will have to dump sand in another bucket, that would not be too much trouble either.

jim

 

[viggen]

I have also done it that way & it's quick & easy & the bigger the hose the easier it is, within reason There also really isn't a need to removed all the fish/rocks/etc since that's probably more stressfull then sticking a hose in there with them in the tank. Just look at it as a big water change, siphon out however much water/sand you do for a normal water change then next month do it again to the leftover sand. Easy to do and it doesn't stress the fish out to much.

 

[Marc]

Why not go to lowes and get some 1.5" wide clear hose and siphon it out. You will be cleaning your tank at the same time. The thick hose will pull the sand right out with minimal amounts of water if you do it right. I have a 500 and this is how I plan on getting my sand out.

Hey Scott,

Are you planning on replacing your sand bed in your 500? What are you replacing the crushed coral with, also when is Jim doing his next video on your tank???

Marc

 

[slief]

Hey Scott,

Are you planning on replacing your sand bed in your 500? What are you replacing the crushed coral with, also when is Jim doing his next video on your tank???

Marc

I will be siphoning my sand/gravel out and either not replacing it or replacing it with a fine layer of live sand or very fine dead sand. I will have more salt tomorrow so it may be a project for the weekend after I mix up more water. I am also planning on a lanthanum dosing beginning tomorrow to reduce phosphates. That will benifit from the gravel removal so I need to get hopping on that ASAP. I wont remove all the sand at once as I have a few hundred pounds (at least) of it and dont want to shock the system anymore than I already have of late.

There are two episodes that are being edited and another to be shot next Thursday. I would expect at least one new episodes to be posted in the next few days. With all the changes and my endeavors, I can keep him busy with his camera for plenty of future episodes.

 

[Marc]

I will be siphoning my sand/gravel out and either not replacing it or replacing it with a fine layer of live sand or very fine dead sand. I will have more salt tomorrow so it may be a project for the weekend after I mix up more water. I am also planning on a lanthanum dosing beginning tomorrow to reduce phosphates. That will benifit from the gravel removal so I need to get hopping on that ASAP. I wont remove all the sand at once as I have a few hundred pounds (at least) of it and dont want to shock the system anymore than I already have of late.

There are two episodes that are being edited and another to be shot next Thursday. I would expect at least one new episodes to be posted in the next few days. With all the changes and my endeavors, I can keep him busy with his camera for plenty of future episodes.

In my opinion and experience I would avoid fine sand as well as a deep sand bed. It may look real cool for the first month but this stuff is difficult to keep clean as well the sand blows around so much onto rocks and corals. You have to constantly fan off corals and rocks to keep the sand off. Caribsea Special Grade Reef Sand is the best and would look awesome in your 500. All you need is an inch or two. No more because phosphates and ditritus collect real quick. Also the special grade is easier to vaccum. Deep sand beds are a thing of the past and I had one in my refugium and my nitrates and phosphates continued to rise until I tore it out. After the deep sand bed removal the phosphate and nitrate levels dropped.

Marc

 

[29reef]

Okay well after a FULL day of work last weekend the sand and about 50lbs of live rock is gone. I ended up setting up two 90 gal tanks with powerheads and heaters for the fish and corals. The rock went into bins and was covered with towels soaked in salt water. I ended up draining the tank and then scooping most of the sand out and then used a big huge wet dry vac to get the rest. I also did a bit of drywall work above the tank sense it's in wall and over the years the salt water has done it's job. I'll make some flashing for it at work one of these days when I'm tired of looksing at wood. So far the only loss is the 1 year old CBB but I'm happy with that if that's the only loss. I also got to regroup all the ricordia to their own area with the LPS and now there's even some room for some new frags!