replacing sand

[mnash]

I have sand in my tank now but I think it is too big. I would love to have that sugar sized sand that you see on the beaches. My question is how do you keep from having a sand storm with your water current (reeflow snapper to 8 loc line outlets) and will there be any biological effects? Thanks for any help.


Mike

 

[mnash]

bump

 

[tkeracer619]

If you pour the new sand down a pipe it hardly clouds the water.

There could be biological issues but you just have to monitor and have some water ready to change if need be. It also depends on the condition of the current sand. You could always change out sections at a time.

 

[fatboyjoe]

I just did the opposite, I went from fine sand to a coarse grain sand. I took half of the sand out and replaced it with the new sand. I removed the old sand a little at a time over the course of a week, one section at a time. I used a small plastic container to scoop it out. Then I add the new sand, about 1/4 inch every week untill I got where I wanted it. I used a 2' piece of 2'' pvc with a funnel on top to add the sand. I used this long drawn out method to replace the sand because I didn't want to stir up nasties from my 4 year old sand bed. but I did. I got a nasty diatom bloom and some other algea problems going on now that I never had before. everything was fine untill I messed with the sand. so be carefull, take your time, maybe even longer than I did. good luck

 

[Aquarist007]

Re: replacing sand

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12420885#post12420885 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by mnash
I have sand in my tank now but I think it is too big. I would love to have that sugar sized sand that you see on the beaches. My question is how do you keep from having a sand storm with your water current (reeflow snapper to 8 loc line outlets) and will there be any biological effects? Thanks for any help.


Mike

if the tank is relatively new? just bury it with the medium grade argonite. Don't do it all at once--just a small section a week to allow the old to seed the new---and don't move the rocks--just bury the sand up to them. Disturbing the rocks could cause some cycling to happen