restarting a used system......

[Bk2Reefin]

I picked up used tank, the LR was placed in the tank water in buckets, the sand partial removed, and mud in fuge,

I really want to clean everything up really well to start, Can I scoop all the sand out of the tank and clean it down will it just re cycle for awhile?

the mud in fuge should I toss it out and buy new or can I just filter the dirt water out?

 

[Bk2Reefin]

any help with this would be great & thanks in advance!

 

[Bk2Reefin]

any input anyone?

 

[sammy33]

I would toss the fuge substrate and replace it. The display sand will likely be good to use after a thorough rinsing.

The aquarium will definitely go through a cycle of some sort after you set it back up. The only sure way to gauge the cycle is with some testing - NH3 >> NO2 >> NO3.

Edit: What size system is this? How long was it up and running? What condition was it in (in terms of previous care/husbandry) when you picked it up?

 

[Bk2Reefin]

not sure really on how it was, I was told it was healthy system for 2 years.

Its a 75 with a cpr aqua fuge I would say around 30 gal.

I rinsed a large rubber maid storage deal out wit the some of the original saltwater, then put all the LR in it with a heater and pump to try and preserve what I could until I am ready for it.


The LS is still in the tank for the biggest part there is a little left in one sump/fuge, system had 2 one with miracle mud & the other with LS, and about 20 lbs in a 5 gal bucket.

I want to toss the mud out and take all the LS and put it all in 5 gal buckets, and clean everything really well.

Then I was just gonna rinse the sand, add it back to the tank then once the tanks temp is up and salinity is on and its settled out I will add the LR and let the tank run its course w/o lighting for a week then check the levels just to see what its doing.

When set back up it will be on a 60 gal fuge/sump and maybe the cpr aqua fuge for a fuge only and then the 60 for a sump only, I also plan to use part of this 60 after a fish is QT'd to add a fish into the system for the first week before I put them in the DT just encase they don't adapt however I always drip acclimate everything.

I guess my main question is with my plans with the LS, Id say 125 lbs worth. would I be asking for trouble later on if I did as described?

I plan to let it run a complete cycle before adding any livestock.

 

[sammy33]

With the tank being described as only two years old I would not be overly concerned about the condition of the sand. Rinsing (thoroughly) in RO water and then giving it a bath of saltwater before adding it to the display should do the trick.

Assuming this is standard reef grade sand (not oolite or sugar sand) then 125lbs in a 75g that is a footprint of 48x18 will give you about a 3.5in deep sandbed. This may have caused some DSB type de-nitrification layers to build up (over the 2 years). If you moved the sand to buckets this is all mixed up now. Rinsing the sand will essentially reset it in terms of bio diversity.

The only issue I have had with used sand is cyano. This was an issue for me on a smaller tank with used/re-used sand. It was also the finer grade oolite sand which I am not fond of as it seems to develop cyano problems more often than larger grade aragonite.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bk2Reefin]

cyano is what I worried about, If I can prevent a little now rather than fighting alot down the road.

Im not sure what kind of LS it is, I was wrong theres no way 125 lbs, theres only about 1.5" at most with all of the LS maybe 2" at most.

It will be placed in buckets for holding, then Ill rinse in ro water and do the saltwater bath, I will more than likely add a little more as well.

Thanks for the help, I will try and come back to this in a few months just to post how it went.