sand question

[aznnutty]

when i bought the tank from a friend, he had black live sand in the tank for two years. i want white live sand so it reflex light better.

what's the best way of doing this without moving all my rock and livestock out? 75g with lots of rock

 

[aznnutty]

also, my current tank is at a constent 82 degrees, is this to hot for my softies and polyps? if so what can i do to cool it?

 

[padi200]

you could put it one top

you could put it one top

You could put a thick layer of white sand on top, but sooner or later, probably sooner, the black grain are gonna mix and you will have salt and pepper sand.

Best way is the way you dont want to do.. Take out all the stuff, put it in buckets for an hour or so while you add new white sand.

It gives you a chance to use a good sand that you will not have to change later.

Do it the right way first and you will not have to do it again later?

 

[Aquarist007]

Re: sand question

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12970979#post12970979 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aznnutty
when i bought the tank from a friend, he had black live sand in the tank for two years. i want white live sand so it reflex light better.

what's the best way of doing this without moving all my rock and livestock out? 75g with lots of rock

don't replace the sand under the live rock

get a small shop wet vac--I payed 25 bucks for mine---use it to suck up 1/4 of the visible substrate.

take a 2 inch piece of pvc piping and glue a large plastic funnel on one end. You can use this to put the new sand back very close to the substrate to prevent a sand storm

each week replace another 1/4 of the substrate that way until you are done

 

[Aquarist007]

Re: you could put it one top

Re: you could put it one top

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12971026#post12971026 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by padi200
You could put a thick layer of white sand on top, but sooner or later, probably sooner, the black grain are gonna mix and you will have salt and pepper sand.

Best way is the way you dont want to do.. Take out all the stuff, put it in buckets for an hour or so while you add new white sand.

It gives you a chance to use a good sand that you will not have to change later.

Do it the right way first and you will not have to do it again later?

I would not recommend that with a sand bed that is over 2 years old--you could trap phosphates and nitrates that can be released at a latter time
I agree with removing it now however

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12970992#post12970992 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aznnutty
also, my current tank is at a constent 82 degrees, is this to hot for my softies and polyps? if so what can i do to cool it?

the preferred range is 76 to 84 so you are fine with 82 and since it is constant I would leave it there.

The best way to bring the temp down is to run a fan that blows across the surface of the tank and or sump esp when the lights are on.

 

[dartmti]

The best way to bring the temp down is to run a fan that blows across the surface of the tank and or sump esp when the lights are on.

If you do this, expect water to evaporate quickly, so have some freshwater ready for top offs.

 

[aznnutty]

i do have a sump, or maybe a fan above the sump? since theres a versa top for the DT. the tank is in a nail salon so it's quite dusty, so i need the versa

 

[padi200]

It is true that toxin may be release from old sand beds. One solution it to remove the water and the sand. BUT yes, that is hard on the tank. 100% water change is a big deal. Many have done it with no problems, however if there is LOTS of live rock.

One idea is to find a place where they will keep some of you more delicate fish and things, do the water and sand change and put things back in as the water parameters allow.