restarting into the fishing game. ..

[plaidnstripes]

So, I have finally settled down. I am now living in Roanoke"”I am very excited (and a little scared since I know nobody who lives in this part of VA) Anyways, I am ready to get my fish tank back up! Everything is pretty much as I left it minus the water and the fish of course. crushed coral, live Sand, and Rock---Live rock "¦but without water I guess we can call it dead rock and dead sand right now. I was new when I started but to make sure I do not make a rookie mistake---My plan is to just fill it with some water"”clean out the sand and then add water and cycle. Is there anything I can do to make my sand live again---like a product or"¦.just start over? I have a WHOLE lot to sand I hate to get rid of it. Whatcha think?

 

[RUFISHY2]

That'll work, but expect a long messy cycle. The sand will 'get live" again on its own, so will the rock. Definitely clean the rock and sand as well as you can. Use a good stiff brush on the rock. The more organic material you brush off the less nature has to deal with. There are various bacterial startups on the market, made to shorten or "eliminate" your cycle, but personally I would just put in a few new pieces of rock.

This is going to make me sound old, but back in the day, we used to just through a piece of shrimp in our undergravel filter to start the cycle. (Don't put a piece of shrimp in your tank, but more importantly, don't put an undergravel filter in your tank.)...um, I was going somewhere with this, but I don't remember where.

 

[RUFISHY2]

That'll work, but expect a long messy cycle. The sand will 'get live" again on its own, so will the rock. Definitely clean the rock and sand as well as you can. Use a good stiff brush on the rock. The more organic material you brush off the less nature has to deal with. There are various bacterial startups on the market, made to shorten or "eliminate" your cycle, but personally I would just put in a few new pieces of rock.

This is going to make me sound old, but back in the day, we used to just through a piece of shrimp in our undergravel filter to start the cycle. (Don't put a piece of shrimp in your tank, but more importantly, don't put an undergravel filter in your tank.)...um, I was going somewhere with this, but I don't remember where.

 

[ade]

Also to speed things up you can use agralive sand. Around $25 a 20# bag I think. Like J said there are plenty of products out there that can speed things up. All depends on time and pocket money. Myself I don't like to reuse sand because the time it takes to clean it.

 

[PRDubois]

If you want to use the old sand. Just put it in a 5 gal bucket and run a water hose all the way to the bottom while you mix it with your hand.

Run the water till the water is clear. Will look real nasty when you start.

 

[xcorallusx]

Id use a long piece of PVC pipe to stir the sand and water, to avoid getting stung by bristle worms. I cleaned a lot of old sand for the 350 and filled brute trash can with sand and water, stir then dump. It took a few times but the sand was clean and my hands weren't swollen from getting stung. Its cheaper to buy dry sand and get a scoop of live sand from someone local.

 

[RUFISHY2]

whoa...I must have been tired. Throw, not through.

 

[plaidnstripes]

YAY! I got my tank up and running again. ....now the bad part....my filter is not working. Thea heater is missing. Time to shop and bargain hunt

 

[plaidnstripes]

I decided to go with a sump and overflow-

Has anyone built their own? what is the cost of building ones own sump? special tools?

I figure if i can knit socks in a week time I could make a sump in a couple of afternoonds.

I think I will just get the overflow online somewhere.

 

[zreefs]

a sump can be as simple as a empty tank in the stand or you can put in baffles, fuge, skimmer compartment. its as simple or complicated as you make it.

 

[plaidnstripes]

Hm, True. So If I can find a ten gallon I could transform---wanted to make a fuge in the middle. to pieces of pexiglass for either side

 

[plaidnstripes]

I went ahead used the old sand--cleaned it up. I filled up my tank and then bought a lil bag of live sand---well ten pounds. I put my rocks back and turned on a filter and heater. Now...to wait and wait.

 

[plaidnstripes]

YAY! waiting paid off---I introduced two B/W clownfish and they are doing super! They are eating furiously. They fish lady at Petco told me to get an condy---I told her that I did not have the lights for it. She told me that you did not need special lights...that made me raise an eyebrow at her but I am super duper happy about my purchase

 

[xcorallusx]

I would not take advice from Petco and I don't think clowns will host the condy. I would try a BTA or Sebae. What kind of lights do you have?

 

[plaidnstripes]

My lights are the lights that came with the fresh water tank. I am waiting for a good set of used lights to purchase.

I do not trust the Petco lady---I do want a condy anyways.

 

[RUFISHY2]

Condys actually can thrive in lower light, they need to be fed alot. ther is about a .000001% chance your clowns will host in a condy (I just made that number up.) 99.9999999999999% (I just made that up too.) of all B/W clowns are captive bred. Getting them to match up with any anemone is much less likely as a result. You'll probably have best luck with a sebae. It will, however, require considerably more light.

 

[plaidnstripes]

Oh I meant I did not want a Condy. I prefer a carpet.or bta

 

[pangtang]

Condys actually can thrive in lower light, they need to be fed alot. ther is about a .000001% chance your clowns will host in a condy (I just made that number up.) 99.9999999999999% (I just made that up too.) of all B/W clowns are captive bred. Getting them to match up with any anemone is much less likely as a result. You'll probably have best luck with a sebae. It will, however, require considerably more light.

Don't worry about the statistics, because 90% of statistics are made up anyways :twitch: