changing sandbed *changed, now with pics*

[napydred]

I bought a used tank and kept the sand bed in it because it was already well established, I am now considering doing a sand bed change and would like to have some really fine grain, as white as possible sand. If you have any suggestions on what kind of sand to use please reply.

 

I will most likely remove all the rock, snails, and crabs to a rubbermaid with water in it, put the coral in my aquapod. drain about half the tank with fish in it. Remove sand, packing about 3-5 nylon stockings about baseball size with old sand. Add new sand with nylon stocking sand balls left in to seed new sand (will be taken out in a few weeks). Add back rock, add water, and power system on. periodically clean mechanical filter media for a day or two until dust clears, re add coral from aquapod.

 

Insights and suggestions to my plan would be much appreciated. Thanks alot.

 

 

~edit~ I am thinking of using this sand. How much do you think I will need to have a 2-3 inch bed in a 55g?

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CS0930.html

[Mr. Fosi]

Link doesn't work.

 

Aragonite sand is pretty fine and white.

 

How old is this sandbed and how deep?

 

What are the dimensions of your 55g?

 

There could be a lot of toxic compounds built up in that sandbed.

[napydred]

Link doesn't work.

 

Aragonite sand is pretty fine and white.

 

How old is this sandbed and how deep?

 

What are the dimensions of your 55g?

 

There could be a lot of toxic compounds built up in that sandbed.

 

 

the dimensions are 48x13x21

 

I am guessing there is alot of buildup in this sandbed, because when we moved the tank and I refilled it with water alot of gray matter settled on top of the sand bed. It is about 3-4 inches deep in some parts. Should I remove everything to the 12 gallon aquapod for a couple days while I do this? I was thinking I could just get the temps the same on the ap and the 55, transfer everything over, do the sandbed change, let it settle, then transfer everything back.

 

Here is the fixed link for the sand I am thinking of getting

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~CS0930.html

 

I have a small six line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, 5 turbo, 2 nasarius, 2 crabs, 3 coral frags.

[Mr. Fosi]

Well, if your tank footprint is 48"x13" and you want a 3" bed, that's just over 8 gallons of sand (1872 cubic inches). If you find out how big the bags are (LxWxH) you could estimate how much is in each bag and how many bags you will need.

 

As for removing the old sandbed, I would take everything out of the tank before you do it. Your AP idea would probably work well. With a bed that is 3-4" you can expect to have all kinds of sulfide compounds (FeS, HS, CuS, etc...), many of which are very toxic to animals. You will also have some NH4, NO2 and N2O as well as other things.

 

I understand your desire to re-seed your new sandbed, but I would do it with a small amount of the top layer (read: less than 1"). Many of your brittle stars and other critters will be in the top layer anyway.

[napydred]

Well, if your tank footprint is 48"x13" and you want a 3" bed, that's just over 8 gallons of sand (1872 cubic inches). If you find out how big the bags are (LxWxH) you could estimate how much is in each bag and how many bags you will need.

 

As for removing the old sandbed, I would take everything out of the tank before you do it. Your AP idea would probably work well. With a bed that is 3-4" you can expect to have all kinds of sulfide compounds (FeS, HS, CuS, etc...), many of which are very toxic to animals. You will also have some NH4, NO2 and N2O as well as other things.

 

I understand your desire to re-seed your new sandbed, but I would do it with a small amount of the top layer (read: less than 1"). Many of your brittle stars and other critters will be in the top layer anyway.

 

 

I'm not dead set on a 3 inch bed, I'll probably get 2 30 lb bags of the sugar fine sand, and then one bag of caribsea live sand to seed it. I may just get rid of all the old sand, Thanks for the help.

 

O also, what is a good method for rinsing the new sand?

[Mr. Fosi]

I'm not sure what would be best for that much sand since I have only done small amounts.

 

One method that comes to mind is this: spread some nylon stocking material over a colander and pour in your sand. Rinse it well, then dump it in the tank then do it again.

 

Don't rinse the LS, of course.

[walzon]

if you want really really white this stuff is so white it looks like snow http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl36...marinesand20lbs

[Mr. Fosi]

Be advised that the sand at that link is non-aragonite.

[walzon]

so what sand is sand, the same stuff as tahitian moon and lots of people love it

[Mr. Fosi]

If you want the possibility of getting calc and alk from your sandbed long-term, you need aragonite.

 

If you just want looks, you could add tahitian moon sand or some shiny glass marbles.

 

Heck, why not throw some G.I. Joes in there as well. They're made of plastic and won't affect your pH.

[napydred]

just got back from the lfs with 30 lbs of sugar caribsea and 40 lbs of caribsea live sand, gonna do this today, i'll post some pictures or updates as i wind it down, wish me luck

[napydred]

So I just finished changing my sandbed in my 55gallon. everything is back in the 55 and the water is only slightly milky. I have one last question that doesn't really pertain to the rest of this thread at all. I put my Xenia on a piece of rock really close to a big clear anenome. It's not aptasia but it's pretty big and perfectly clear. Anyone know if this is a pest anenome?

[walzon]

If you want the possibility of getting calc and alk from your sandbed long-term, you need aragonite.

 

If you just want looks, you could add tahitian moon sand or some shiny glass marbles.

 

Heck, why not throw some G.I. Joes in there as well. They're made of plastic and won't affect your pH

Stop acting like a child and be a little more open minded. Everybody has different tastes.

[Mr. Fosi]

Need a pic to identify the anemone.

 

Stop acting like a child and be a little more open minded. Everybody has different tastes.

 

No prob. I'll get right on that so long as you don't post ignorant comments like "so what sand is sand".

 

Lighten up, it makes life easier.

[walzon]

I don't believe that was an ignorant comment most substrate will buffer to a degree and most will never deliver calc or alk to your system unless its like six inches or more deep and used long term, most tanks here are done in about a year or less, so it really doesn't matter which sand you use it's all preference.

[Mr. Fosi]

The link you posted claims that the substrate will not "effect pH" which means, in part, that it has no buffering capacity.

 

I believe I also stated that this was a "long term" consideration and I disagree with your statement regarding depth. You can get low pH, anoxic conditions in 4" or less depending on grain size, flow regime, and infauna. Any such conditions will provide some calc/alk if the sand is CaCO3.

 

Your generalizations are too broad and your claims are unsupported by the facts.

 

EDIT: In any case, the point is now moot since the OP has made the switch.

[napydred]

so here is what my sandbed looking like before the change, as i said this bed was already in the tank when i bought it, but after having it running for a couple weeks I realized it looked filthy and decided a fresh sand bed was needed if I wanted to keep this tank up for the long term. Besides that the black/white sand mix wasn't attractive and it was far too deep in my opinion.

 

 

 

And after about a four hour job, here is the new sand bed, I used carbisea live sand

 

 

 

Ok and here is the Anenome I need an ID on, the clear one next to the xenia

 

[Bonebrake]

The anemone in question is harmless... I forget what they are called, but they will not hurt anything.