Something wrong with my sand bed?

[Kardjunkie]

Beginnerher who bought an established BioCube 29. I have had everything setup for about a month and over the last week my sand bed is looking horrible.



When I got the tank it was very neglected, lots of grass like algae and so much coraline algae on glass could barely see in tank. I have been cleaning it up put in a cleaner crew of hermits and snails. Installed a media tray with floss,carbon, and phosphate remover media, and then goes through Purigen and chemilab elite, instead of bio balls.

My ph is around 7.8, nitrites 0, nitrates at 5 on strips. Phosphate was .25, calcium was 580 and alk at 8. Temperature has been between 76 and 82, drafty old house hard to keep a constant temperature.

My question is something wrong with my sand bed?
Should I start vacuuming it?

Thanks for any help.

 

[thegrun]

Looks like you have some major algae issues. Did you reuse the old sand bed? If you did it is the likely source of your problems. I personally would remove it and start over with new dry sand (washed well before you place it in the tank to remove the fines (dust).

 

[bmrigs]

I got tired of fighting a sand bed with issues of algae and cyano. I took out the sand completely and put in a starboard bottom. During the week debris builds up into little piles from the circulation and is waiting for me to vacuum it up on the weekend during water changes. I'm loving it.

 

[Kardjunkie]

Yes, I did reuse the sand bed.

I will look into replacing it. The whole tank was overrun with algae.

Live sand I would presume would be best to keep the tank up and running through the whole process?

 

[Kardjunkie]

I was researching new sand. I am planning a 75 gallon and it might be worth buying new sand for BioCube and the 75 all at once.

Is there a shelf life for live sand?

I won't setting up 75 till summer, still buying stuff.

Also, any difference in sand color other than aesthetics? Really like the looks of the black sand.

 

[Bogue Chitto]

Live sand usually contains silicates, so go slow with it and don't stir it up if you can help it. Usually the diatoms will last longer on the sand than on the rock. Good luck with your tank.

 

[davehead86]

I was researching new sand. I am planning a 75 gallon and it might be worth buying new sand for BioCube and the 75 all at once.

Is there a shelf life for live sand?

I won't setting up 75 till summer, still buying stuff.

Also, any difference in sand color other than aesthetics? Really like the looks of the black sand.

Live sand is a mis-nomer. Any sand you are buying doesnt have any good or bad bacteria left on it after sitting in the bag dry forever and being transported.

Buy some, rinse a couple cups at a time to remove silicates, add slowly, if you get a dust storm turn on the filter or skimmer or powerheads whatever you have and it will go away eventually.

 

[thegrun]

IMHO you are actually better off using dry sand, not live.

 

[Bogue Chitto]

I think your are right, thegrun.

 

[gone fishin]

IMHO you are actually better off using dry sand, not live.

I agree. Whoever thought up the live sand in a bag is a marketing genius.

 

[Kardjunkie]

Okay it has been awhile and I am finally ready to change out the sand bed. This may sound stupid but how do I actually do it? Any suggestions would be appreciated. The only way I can see doing it is removing everything and placing in containers, which isn't a problem but concerned about live rock, fish and corals. Especially die off of bacteria that restarts a cycle. Am I overthinking it, or just do it?

I also do not plan on using live but dry sand and upgrading the size of the sand. I am tired of the sugar size or smaller with the goby. Any suggestions of size for goby that does not get on everything? I was planning on purchasing the dry special reef grade that is between 1.25-1.75 mm in size. Is this a good size for the goby and not have to be constantly blowing it off everything?

Thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[billdogg]

Here's how I would go about making the switch:

Remove the rock and place in a 5g bucket (or whatever is suitably sized) Throw an old towel soaked in tank water over it to keep it moist, or if you have enough tank water, just siphon enough out to cover the rocks.

Put all the fish and other livestock in another 5g bucket with tank water. A lid will help prevent jumpers from, well, jumping.

drain out the rest of the water and discard. There's nothing in it worth keeping anyway - all the denitrifiying bacteria are in/on the rocks (and the sand, but you are replacing it)

Scoop out all the old sand - not a fun job - I just finished emptying a 120g tank with ~8"DSB - over #300 of sand, and hauling it to the garage from the basement.

Save a cup or two of the old sand to reseed the new sandbed - rinse it in old tank water to keep it live but remove the gunk.

Arrange your rocks in the now empty and clean tank to your liking.

After rinsing the new sand - DON'T SKIP THIS STEP! - put the new sand in the tank around the rocks. Do Not place rocks on the sand - tunnelers/diggers will eventually cause a landslide! Toss the couple cups of old sand in there now to jumpstart things a bit.

I would go ahead and use all new water - put a bowl or dish or whatever on the sand and pour the new clean water on it so that you do not stir up the sand any more than necessary. Put your fish/corals into their new clean home.

You will want to monitor your parameters for a few days or a week or two to watch for any possible mini cycle. Some Prime or similar will help to keep things stable.

Keep us posted!

I'm local - feel free to PM me if you run in to any problems.

hth

 

[gone fishin]

Bill pretty well summed it up. Good luck

forgot to mention if you think you have enough buckets get a couple more.