Adding more sand

[msujohn]

My 90 gallon reef tank has been up and running for over 3 years and my sand bed has been getting depleted. Basically every water change (while I siphon the sand) I was losing some. It's at the point that I would like to add some more. I'm concerned that it will create some issues with algae, another cycle, etc? Is there any reason I should not add more sand? Is there a process to follow to add more sand?

 

[GoVols]

You should be fine.
Might get a diatom bloom from the silicates in the new sand, but they'll burn off.

I'd mix it with your old sand in the tank to even out your bacteria.

Get the Tropic - Eden - Reefflakes sand that Premium Aquatics carries.
Cleanest and best sand that I've ever used.

 

[DancingShark]

I added sand of higher grade in December. Did have a diatoms bloom and still kind of battling a little green algea now on the sand. I will admit I have been slacking on water changes tho.

 

[dromo2189]

What methods did you use to add sand to a establish tank?

 

[cracker]

check out this thread https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...a-one-against-many.230281/page-8#post-4218203

I'd personally rinse the new sand very well to get out the silt. Use a bucket & garden hose drain off as much water as possible & soak in new saltwater before adding.

 

[GoVols]

What methods did you use to add sand to a establish tank?

Before I was bare bottom.

I cleaned the new sand and slowly put it in the reef with a medium sized fish net ;Wacky

 

[falconut]

I slowly add more aragonite to my tank with no issues. I imagine, if you added a large amount at a time you might have an issue. Start slowly and you should be fine.

 

[msujohn]

So my current sand bed is less than 1/2 in spots to probably about 1 inch in other areas. My plan was to get back to around 1 inch all around. I regularly stir my sand bed today, so I don't think I would have any issues with adding in some and mixing it with the new. Could I add 10 pounds at a time and wait a week or 2 and add another 10 pounds? Or do you think that would be too much to begin? I would probably use dry aragonite pink fiji as my sand choice. Would I still need to rinse it prior to putting in?

I really want to avoid any diatoms and another bloom if possible.

 

[GoVols]

So my current sand bed is less than 1/2 in spots to probably about 1 inch in other areas. My plan was to get back to around 1 inch all around. I regularly stir my sand bed today, so I don't think I would have any issues with adding in some and mixing it with the new. Could I add 10 pounds at a time and wait a week or 2 and add another 10 pounds? Or do you think that would be too much to begin? I would probably use dry aragonite pink fiji as my sand choice. Would I still need to rinse it prior to putting in?

I really want to avoid any diatoms and another bloom if possible.

Going to be hard to avoid diatoms with new sand, but that's JMO...

 

[Terry Brown]

I just replaced sand in my tank that has been removed from syphoning. I took a 32 oz cup of clean sand and and mixed it in the tank with my established sand. Waited a week and repeated the process until I got the sand bed to the depth I wanted. I have not had any issues.