live sand/new setup

[acer]

Hi all - I ( my son and I ) are setting up a new tank. I have extra live rock in my other tanks we will use. BUT, I got live sand about one month ago- delays occurred, so it is still in the 5 gallon buckets. Q: Is this sand still good? Q: Anything I can do to help it cycle faster ? Q: Should I just throw it out and get new sand?

Set up will be Ryans 37 cube tank with a 15 gallon sump, CPR- SR4 skimmer with a mesh mod oceanrunner pump in the sump, and drilled ( upper corner ) 20 gallon ( thanks Adam) refugium ( 130 watt PC lights) setup on a shelf next to the 37 cube so the water overflows into the cube via a 1 inch hose. Hopefully, we will be growing a lot of copepods, amphypods,etc. in the refugium that will get drawn into the cube tank . Lights = 150 De pendant ( Icecap 15K bulb- thanks Steve)

If anybody has any thoughts on how to modify/change or improve this setup let me know. Still waiting for the cube stand from Ryan - so nothing is set in stone yet.

Thanks, in advance, for all you help- Ted

 

[raynist]

Hi Ted,

Was the sand kept warm the whole time? Was there any circulation in the container? My guess is everything is dead.

I would not throw the sand away though, rinse it and use it.

I can bring you up a small bag of my live sand to start seeding the tank.

The other option would be to just use it and let the cycle occur before adding anything at all. If everything died you should get a big cycle I would think.

--Ray

 

[Stray32]

+1

Rinse is really well, and seed it with a cup of live sand. That's what I plan on doing with my 3 Gal Pico.

 

[cloakerpoked]

Agree with the above ideas. Even if you did keep circulation, there'd be a lot of die-off. Would be best to spread it so that it was dried out, then rinse, then replace. That's my 2 pennies.

 

[acer]

OK - will do - I will certainly take any "cup of sand" from any and all - diversity is the key to success - Right!! I can spread it on cement patio (on plastic) today and let the sun or rain hit it for the next 48 hours. Then put into tank and let the system cycle. BY Friday will be ready for live "cup of sand" from anybody willing to donate. I will be going to the frag swap in Cleveland - so if you can bring it there - that would be great. Ray - if you prefer, I can pick it up yours on Friday at your office in Wexford - if your working that day,etc. - NO ideas on the setup ?

 

[raynist]

I wouldn't set it out in the rain, could be contaminated!

I would just rinse it in some smaller buckets with regular tap water.

I can bring the sand up on Friday to work.

 

[Stray32]

I could probably contribute, but not sure how I would get it to you. I could throw in some asterina stars, stomatellas, and collonistas as well.

Ray, I could probably bring it by your place on Thursday night.

 

[acer]

Had not thought about contaminated rain- but I did think the tap water for rinsing would be very contaminated ( TDS= 500-600 in Hampton currently). I cant produce enough RO/DI water to rinse the sand with.

 

[raynist]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14730268#post14730268 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by acer
Had not thought about contaminated rain- but I did think the tap water for rinsing would be very contaminated ( TDS= 500-600 in Hampton currently). I cant produce enough RO/DI water to rinse the sand with.

I think you will be ok, that is how I have always done it, I think if you dried it the TDS would still be there.

How soon do you plan on adding livestock? You could just use it as is and let the skimmer take everything out for a few weeks.

 

[ironwill723]

Hey Ted,
I know it is out of your way but Wet Pets just got in fresh bags of the live reef sand last week. When I switched from CC to sand in my tank I used a 20lbs. bag and I never saw a spike from the change. Not sure if it was the sand or the LR in the tank but if you are willing to take a chance might be an option to cycle faster.

 

[cap1956]

Do not be afraid to rinse sand in fresh water, pour off as much as you can and let it dry some before adding to the tank. I rinsd a hundred pounds from my old tank it took several days It was filthy. When I was done it was white and clean and smelled clean. Some of the life in the sand (worms) even survived the days in a fresh water rinsed sand in a bucket.

 

[acer]

Ok - rinsed the two 3/4 full 5 gallon buckets of dead sand- Yuck!!! very smelly.... - I will let dry for the next few days. Ironwill - how much for the live sand at Wet pets? Maybe worth the price and the drive to add to this stuff or just to start over with. Cutting acrylic for baffles for sump this evening, maybe putting them in as well.

 

[acer]

Oh ya - just finished a "dry run " with fresh water to test different return pumps from sump and flow from the refugium and to check for leaks. Best Sump pump = Mag 7 into 1/2 hose to a 1/2 in pipe with a 90 degree elbow on the bottom ( ending 4 inches from bottom of tank) so return water flows parallel to sand surface and 6 small holes drilled in the pipe from 1/2 inch from under the water surface ( prevent back siphon) spaced evenly to the elbow. The refugium will be fed water from the sump via a MJ 1200.

 

[ironwill723]

Ted,
$29.99 I believe. Real nice stuff actually. Not the same stuff they sell in the chains. John said they just got it in. The bag actually has a good amount of water in it and the instructions say to just carefully pour in. I didn't even rinse mine. I pulled like 90% of the display water, rock, corals and fish out and put in Tupperware bins with heater and powerhead. Scooped out all the CC gravel and then put in the sand. My display is only 36g and I used one bag and it gave me a nice 1'-1.5' base. I have been monitoring my levels for over a week and have seen no spike what-so-ever. Some people say the bags are a rip off but if you know when they came in or if they are fresh or not might be a better solution for you.
~Craig

 

[acer]

I will call down there and see if they have some left- I may be able to get down there on Thursday. If so, then we can put purchases from the frag swap in the new setup Saturday as rock and water are coming from my 90 setup.

 

[Kimberly63]

I notice that if I use dead sand and don't rinse, I have a faster cycle.

 

[acer]

OK - got the stand from Ryan a few hours ago- Leveled it and getting ready to put that sand ( semi cleaned) and water. The sump is under construction still, but I figured the sand will take a few days to settle anyhow. I figure 48 hours for the silicon to setup ( acrylic baffles to glass 20 long aquarium). If anyone needs weld-on - Salty Critter has some and he ( Dan) is willing to bring to the swap this weekend. I will make the internal acrylic overflow for the cube tank later - if necessary= noise ??? . IF I could take a decent pics of getting this up and running I would, although this setup is pretty basic compared to most your setups interest is probably not there.

 

[Peccavi18]

Tedd there is a huge thread on cube tanks on here, a lot of people really love them. I would like to see some pics of how you finish out the plumbing and deal with the noise, just to see hows you guy's setup varies, from what I had.


*hijack* a small brush and vinagear water got alot of the crud off that overflow, letting it soak now. Gonna need to get a return pump to test it though.

 

[acer]

I was up till 1am setting this up - ouch!! THought we had a leak in the top left from corner- but it was just a spill that took it time getting to the lowest point from the rim. Currently I did not set up the 20 long sump- Went to cut the acrylic with my Dremmel- and I could not get the stupid chuck to release the bit that was in it. 60 minutes later I gave up. So I have a skimmer running and a mag 7 all in a 10 gallon with no baffles while I build the 20 long sump tonight- I have major micro bubbles..... But have the noise in check. I think you sere getting alot of noise from having too much return pump flow= Mag 12 ( this pump is not quiet to begin with).

 

[bnmir]

I would build the internal overflow now. To add later, youll have to drop the water level, then wait for silicon to cure before raising it back up. That means no flow to-from the sump while it cures.
As hard as it is to go slow at the start, getting the plumbing right is worth it in the long run.
You may need to throttle back the pump, if the flow through the sump is too fast, even with baffles you can have noise and bubbles. A filter sock can help, too.