changing sands

[PirateJing]

I am tired of my black sand and want to change to live sand. Would it be ok to take everything out and put it in a 5 gallon bucket and then change the sand and let it run for a few hours then stick everything back in? and do a water change so that it wont be too much of a cycle? or would this end up with casualties? All I have are corals and no fish or anything that produces waste.

[TheWAND]

why don't you put live sand in a bucket and see if it starts to cycle? i never have tried removing live sand and putting in a completely new sand bed. i only add to existing sand beds.

[PirateJing]

that works also i think. I guess I will try that, but if it does cycle wont it be because the bucket has no bacteria in it as opposed to the live rock i already have?

[TheWAND]

that works also i think. I guess I will try that, but if it does cycle wont it be because the bucket has no bacteria in it as opposed to the live rock i already have?

it doesn't hurt to take a small rock out of the display to seed, but i've found live sand usually is live sand. it's just good to be sure.

[PirateJing]

mm, you are right, but the sad thing is I have no live rock to spare out of my 3 gallon display haha. So its just live sand in a bucket then. Ah, if it doesnt cycle then its safe to put in the tank?

[TheWAND]

mm, you are right, but the sad thing is I have no live rock to spare out of my 3 gallon display haha. So its just live sand in a bucket then. Ah, if it doesnt cycle then its safe to put in the tank?

test ammonia. if there is die off, let is sit for a while in the bucket with a pump. you can use additives like MB7 to speed up the process.

[Cesar]

I wouldn't recommend that. When you stir the sand there is always that risk of your Nitrates or Nitrites to go off. I believe you will have a cycle no matter what. That sand you have in there is basically mature enough to maintain your tank. Adding brand new sand will kick into a cycle.

[nyckeeandnate6]

How long has your tank been running with the black sand?

[TheWAND]

I wouldn't recommend that. When you stir the sand there is always that risk of your Nitrates or Nitrites to go off. I believe you will have a cycle no matter what. That sand you have in there is basically mature enough to maintain your tank. Adding brand new sand will kick into a cycle.

it's kind of the same concept as rescaping. take out corals, take out rocks, take out all the water. clean out the sand. add the new sand and cover it with a plastic bag. start adding water slowly into a tupperware cap on the plastic bag. add the rocks when the tank is filled and then corals. sure you will get some nitrates, but nothing corals or fish can't handle. i just did this with 150 pounds of sand in a bigger display... no issues at all.

[PirateJing]

mm, the sand is has been in there for 4 months. and why the plastic bag theWAND?

[eddiecorrea]

Dude just remove the black sand and put new LS in. I've done it a few times in 10gallon tanks and 55 gallon tanks. Never had an issues with a cycle again.

[PirateJing]

yeah but did you have any SPS and such in there?

[TheWAND]

it's kind of the same concept as rescaping. take out corals, take out rocks, take out all the water. clean out the sand. add the new sand and cover it with a plastic bag. start adding water slowly into a tupperware cap on the plastic bag. add the rocks when the tank is filled and then corals. sure you will get some nitrates, but nothing corals or fish can't handle. i just did this with 150 pounds of sand in a bigger display... no issues at all.

plastic bag is to make the process faster. with the plastic bag, the water you add can't agitate the sand and make the water cloudy.

[PirateJing]

alrighty, thank you theWAND! I will try your method . Im just worried about SPS getting ticked from the nitrates and rtn. It is a 3 gallon pico after all D: