Adding sand to established tank

Nick Steele · Jul 5, 2021

So I’m going to be adding sand back into my tank next weekend and I have everything figured out but one thing.

I have two rock flowers that have taken residence on my bare bottom under some rock and I’m not sure how to add sand around them. If I bury them will they excavate themselves out or do I need to try to get them to move?

Pic for their placement now. I intend for a 1-1.5” sand bed throughout my tank.

Spare time · Jul 5, 2021

I'm sure they will be able to pull them selves up a little from the sand around them

PatW · Jul 5, 2021

I have a rock anemone and it is quite capable of moving to another location if it deems that it has been disturbed too much in its current one. So I would think that they would be fine.

As for the sand, I would suggest that you wash any sand you add over and over again to get rid of sediment. It seems that no matter how much I was sand, I always wish I had washed it more after I add it to a tank.

Another aspect of sand is the more flow you in your tank the coarser the sand you need for it to stay put.

Nick Steele · Jul 5, 2021

PatW said:
I have a rock anemone and it is quite capable of moving to another location if it deems that it has been disturbed too much in its current one. So I would think that they would be fine.

As for the sand, I would suggest that you wash any sand you add over and over again to get rid of sediment. It seems that no matter how much I was sand, I always wish I had washed it more after I add it to a tank.

Another aspect of sand is the more flow you in your tank the coarser the sand you need for it to stay put.

I have washed the sand and it’s in a 5 gal bucket sitting in rodi water. It’s clear now but I will rinse it throughout the week to make sure it’s clean then a final rinse in rodi before next weekend when I add it.