Adding Live sand to an established system

[MSB123]

I ordered 80 LBS of Reefflakes for my 180. This will be added to an existing 50 LBS of very fine sand. I am wondering if this will cause a mini cycle or something like that.
Here is the sand I ordered (4 bags)
https://www.amazon.com/Tropic-Eden-Aragavive-Reefflakes-20lb/dp/B00KG2WD2U
Thanks!

 

[CC13]

I ordered 80 LBS of Reefflakes for my 180. This will be added to an existing 50 LBS of very fine sand. I am wondering if this will cause a mini cycle or something like that.
Here is the sand I ordered (4 bags)
https://www.amazon.com/Tropic-Eden-Aragavive-Reefflakes-20lb/dp/B00KG2WD2U
Thanks!

Do you plan to wash the sand before adding it into your tank?

 

[redfishbluefish]

If your tank is "aged," you should be fine.

The easiest way I've found to add sand is to use a pipe that is slightly higher than the depth of the tank....I use 1 1/2 inch pipe. Put the pipe in the tank vertically, all the way to the bottom. Fill the pipe with sand. Now slightly lift the pipe up as you move it about to distribute the sand. I'd also have all pumps turned off while doing this.

 

[rkpetersen]

I myself wouldn't add that without first thoroughly rinsing all that 'life' away. I haven't used this brand before but ime the amount of brown organic filth that will rinse out of a bag of sand is astounding.

 

[MSB123]

If your tank is "aged," you should be fine.

The easiest way I've found to add sand is to use a pipe that is slightly higher than the depth of the tank....I use 1 1/2 inch pipe. Put the pipe in the tank vertically, all the way to the bottom. Fill the pipe with sand. Now slightly lift the pipe up as you move it about to distribute the sand. I'd also have all pumps turned off while doing this.

I will try that.

I myself wouldn't add that without first thoroughly rinsing all that 'life' away. I haven't used this brand before but ime the amount of brown organic filth that will rinse out of a bag of sand is astounding.

I am worried about die off in the sand if I rinse.

Do you plan to wash the sand before adding it into your tank?

No. I’m pretty sure you aren’t supposed to wash live sand

 

[MSB123]

Sand has arrived.
Rinse? Or No?

 

[Jay Norris]

If you rinse it , use only saltwater that has the same parameters as your tank, and I add fresh live sand to my tank every year, but I collect mine from the ocean and use a boat to collect it.

 

[davocean]

Personally I would have used dry sand, as the store bought live can have a bit of dieoff and this could change your params some.

Your existing would have seeded the new dry very fast.

I would definitely rinse in clean SW, do the PVC trick redfish suggested, and either add just half inch all across, or add to half tank side one week, other half a week later, and this would keep you from burying the existing life you have.

 

[MSB123]

Personally I would have used dry sand, as the store bought live can have a bit of dieoff and this could change your params some.

Your existing would have seeded the new dry very fast.

I would definitely rinse in clean SW, do the PVC trick redfish suggested, and either add just half inch all across, or add to half tank side one week, other half a week later, and this would keep you from burying the existing life you have.

I would of, but dry was all out of stock.
Uggh.

 

[davocean]

I would of, but dry was all out of stock.
Uggh.

Ah gotcha, just rinse well in SW and stay on top of good WC's weekly for a bit.

 

[MSB123]

I buried all my RFAs

 

[rkpetersen]

I am worried about die off in the sand if I rinse.

Do you need it to be 'live'? Especially since much of that life may be dead and/or decaying? If your tank is well-established any sand added will be quickly seeded with life, as davocean mentions. The 'live' component may have a role in starting up a tank cycle (and I've seen people debate whether this is even true), but probably is unnecessary after that. Dry sand, live sand, either way I clean it well before using it.

 

[davocean]

If your tank is "aged," you should be fine.

The easiest way I've found to add sand is to use a pipe that is slightly higher than the depth of the tank....I use 1 1/2 inch pipe. Put the pipe in the tank vertically, all the way to the bottom. Fill the pipe with sand. Now slightly lift the pipe up as you move it about to distribute the sand. I'd also have all pumps turned off while doing this.

I do pretty similar to this, maybe 2" PVC, but I put a plastic baggy over one end w/ a rubber band, fill w/ sand, place where I want, and use my grabbers to pull off baggy which floats to top.

 

[will25u]

I’m glad you asked this. I have an older tank (5-6 years) and it desperately needs more sand.

 

[saintsreturn]

HAHA that tank disappeared! Be sure to post back up when your sand settles. They always look so... i dont know the word, but its kinda creepy watching everything show back up as it settles down...

Ok so to answer your question and help out anyone who came here

I add sand fairly frequently, or at least i used to. I always rinse it with water pulled from my system from a water change. This gets most of that cloud you have under control. Then i use a cup from a local restaurant, that shares its dimensions with most take home cups, and add it the to tank in 1/2 full intervals and the power heads off. This allows the sand to be distributed and settle before i stir it up when the power head comes back on. Top off the tank's water from the WC i just did and sit back. It causes some kick up, but nothing like the fog you have now

And its fine, just text after to make sure any die off doesnt swing your ammonia or nitrates out of wack.

 

[MSB123]

I did not rinse, no issues whatsoever.