Sand bed

[SurrealSerenity]

So I ordered oolite Caribbean sea Bahama sand, it arrived today and it has water in it? My plan is to add sand to my sand bed by removing my sand and putting in the new and then adding the old on top for a little bit for the bacteria colonies. Well the oolite sand has water in it and also says it stimulates a cycle? the website did not say this and this was the sand suggested to me for what I am trying to do. How should I go about this and expect?

Thank you

 

[campos]

I just added about 2 inches to my sandbed. What I did was add a couple of cups of sand a day for about a week. When you add the sand you can put it on top, just gently massage the new sand into the old sandbed. Worked fine for me.

 

[SurrealSerenity]

okay, what kind of sand? I'm afraid of inducing a cycle to my tank with this live wet sand

 

[Iguana79]

The sand you bought was "Live Sand" They sell it this way to get people to buy it to start a new tank "Faster Cycle ready in 2 days" Type of ad. I don't think it will restart a cycle. Just add the sand over a few days as suggested before. Depending on how deep your sand bed is and how established it is. I wouldn't stir it up too much as you could start another cycle or bloom in your tank. Just add it on top a few cup full's a day until you have it all in there. Plus it will look pretty with the new stuff on top

 

[Northern Sensei]

I have heard that adding sand will create somewhat of a mini cycle, but that it would be so small that there would be nothing to really worry about.

Anytime you add something to your tank it changes the bioload, and of course with a little bit of time things go back to normal.

 

[njdevilsfan]

i added a bag every 10 days to a 210 with no probs
used a pvc tube to keep from a total cloud storm

 

[vapourmike]

Adding sand as long as done carefully shouldn't cause a cycle if the tank is cycled and not overloaded with bioloads ... so as long as your not stocked right up, not done a full cycle or running below adequate filtration then it will be fine to add 2-3 cups a day.

Your biggest fear will be stiring up the existing sand and making the water cloudy, try to avoid this where possible.

 

[Uncle Salty 05]

If you add small grains on top of larger grains the small grains will eventually end up on the bottom coverd by the larger grains.
I would do it in thirds or even quarters. Removed a 1/4->1/3 section of your old sand bed and either toss or bag for later possible use then replace with your new fine grain sand. Wait a week or two and then do the next section and keep repeating until you are done. This should accomplish your mission and avoid any possible cycle issues.

 

[SurrealSerenity]

you all have been helpful thanks. And about my bioload, I have a 29 gallon biocube that iv taken out the bioballs and replaced with purigen, cheato algea and carbon and somthing else from media baskets. I have alot of coral, not like covered but quite a bit and four fish, 2 true percula, a pygmy angel and a goby. My sand bed is very very thin and it stirs easily when i do water changes, because its so thin I guess. I will remove a few cups of my sand a day and replace with with the new. The best way to remove it would be to siphon it correct?

 

[SurrealSerenity]

do I need to rinse the sand? Its got water in it and it says no need to rinse. But since I'm not trying to start a cycle or anything I wonder if I should rinse it.

 

[Ethan Music]

If you have not done anything yet I would rinse it. Because that water coulda been in the bag for a while my 2 cents.

 

[SurrealSerenity]

ok, whats the best way to rinse sand?