Adding sand to existing tank

[squampton]

I started my red sea reefer bare bottom in January but not overly happy with going bare bottom, and going to add sand, not a large amount, just a think layer around the reef to cover the bottom.

I have fish and some corals in the tank.

My plan is this:

Rinse the sand until it runs clear in tap water, then rinse with some RO water to help remove the tap water.

Use a net to lower the sand into the tank and gently let the sand out of the net, repeat until the bottom is covered.

Never added sand to an existing tank, only removed it, so thought I would see what you folks think.

 

[cracker]

Good plan ! Iv'e done this also. I wish I had rinsed a lot better,still got a bunch of silt so rinse it real, real good & add a little at a time. your" sand in the net" is a good idea you will get a little silt but it will quickly clear up ! Keep us posted. I for one would like to know how it goes.

 

[Retro Reefer]

I have added sand to a couple bare bottom tanks, I use a cup to scoop up the fresh washed sand and carefully lower it to the bottom of tank and gently dump it out to avoid making tank to cloudy.. I do it over the course of many days just in case it’s having a buffering effect

 

[squampton]

I put the first small batch in, a little cloudy which is expected but can still see into the tank and see everything, looks like ocean during a some choppy waves...lol

I am doing a small amount today along the front of the tank, 1/2" maybe deep for now, and the go from there. Already a nice improvement visually with the effect the sand has on lighting......

I am using a mesh filter sock that I have to rinse the sand in and lower it into the tank, working better then the net I was originally going to use.

 

[Eggs]

I’ve used a pvc pipe to add sand, long enough to reach the bottom and fed through the pipe. It keeps the cloudiness to a minimum and you can target specific areas.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Turn off all power heads and slowly lower the sand in a cup.

 

[tiggs]

My method for adding sand to an existing reef is as follows..

1. If live sand, I don't rinse and live with the cloudiness for a few days. If non-live sand, I rinse very very well.
2. Grab a clean/empty 1 liter soda bottle and fill it up with sand (turn upside down and place the nozzle in palm of hand, then squeeze to get rid of as much water as possible)
3. plug nozzle with thumb and dip under water into tank, then slowly slide thumb over to allow water into bottle until completely full
4. while holding thumb over nozzle, turn upside down so the nozzle is facing down and pointing to where you want to release the sand
5. remove thumb and gently squeeze to start slowly releasing sand into the section you're pointing at and continue to move bottle around the tank while gently squeezing
6. if you need more than 1 bottle's worth of sand for the job, repeat