Very annoying substrate issue.

Kodiak5500

New member
I believe my sand is too fine. when ever a shrimp, or one of my fish stir up the sand, which occurs every 2 minutes or less. A dust storm occurs in my tank and the fine sand just floats around and makes it look cloudy. How can I fix this?

Should I slowly suck it all out when I do water changes? I forget what kind it is. I dont remember having this problem before re-aquascaped it.
 
Especially if you don't remember the problem before you re-aquascaped you can try playing with your flow pattern some and it should fix the problem.

Personally I use Tropic Eden "Reefflakes" and it has no problem staying put, even with a good amount of flow on it.
 
this is becoming a problem. How can I go about getting all this sand out. I want to go bare bottom, or find a good substrate. I will look into the reefflakes
 
I have used Oolitic sand (sugar sand) for a while now and had the same problem with all the flow I had. I used my python water change hose and sucked up about half the Oolitic until I had about an inch and a half in the bed. I then bought some aragalive special grade sand and mixed in another 1 1/2" on top of the Oolitic and it solved my problem. If you just want to get it out all together check out the python water change systems. They have them at Marine Depot and other on-line stores and they should pull most of the sugar sand out and into your sink. Just make sure you have a sponge or fine strainer in the sink if you try this or you will have to take off the sink trap to get the sand out.
 
I just picked up some bigger grained sand (arganite sp?) I plan to try to do what you did. I will suck up the sugar sand then add the other. Ill report back soon
 
It went well. Its a little cloudy, but I can already tell a difference.

I have a MHx150w, 2x65PC fixture coming. I feel like im a kid waiting for Christmas to come!

I just want to get things ready for when it arrives!
 
COOL!

COOL!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15473445#post15473445 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kodiak5500
It went well. Its a little cloudy, but I can already tell a difference.

I have a MHx150w, 2x65PC fixture coming. I feel like im a kid waiting for Christmas to come!

I just want to get things ready for when it arrives!
I'm glad it is working.
Did you leave some of the seeded original sand? If you did it will not create a mini- cycle which is good. The new live sand you bought has dormant bacteria in it and normaly would take a little while to re-activate. If you mixed it with the old sand you should have no cycle issues at all.

Glad to hear you're having a blast!


I get pumped up everytime I pick up something new or see something new thats growing in my system. Keeps it very exciting.

Happy Reefing Kodiak5500

Tivo
 
Chances are that you will experience a cycle anyway. You have just released a lot of the bacteria from deep in the sand bed into the column.

But you did the right think if it was just clouding up your tank.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15471024#post15471024 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stunreefer
Especially if you don't remember the problem before you re-aquascaped you can try playing with your flow pattern some and it should fix the problem.

Personally I use Tropic Eden "Reefflakes" and it has no problem staying put, even with a good amount of flow on it.

Where do you find this in the U.S.?
 
I did a water change the next day.

What i did was siphon out as much as I could but I left some. maybe like 1 inch or less. I then added cups of the new sand on top. I plan to do this one more time to try to get a few spots I missed.

I have since got my Maroon Clown a BTA. What a mistake. He knocks over EVERYTHING that is close to his BTA. He also dug a huge hole in the sand that was close to his nem. I will set up a decent sized piece of Capricorn over hanging on a ledge and he instantly opens his mouth gets really close, then bam he grabs it and swims fast as hell and knocks it off.

This is causing more substrate to be stirred up lol.
 
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