I overdosed calcium and alkalinity in my first reef tank for months. I turned my sandbed into a rock before I realized what I was doing. It's literally one big brick. I'd like to tear this tank down and start over. Any suggestions/guidance on how to "un-calcify" or melt my sand bed without eating away or destroying the sealant used on the glass?
Calcified Sandbed help
- Thread starter RayKCMO
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Welcome to Reef2Reef!
You should absolutely post in the meet & greet forum if you get the chance!
I don't know the best way to seperate your sandbed from the abiotic preciptation without possibly eating away at the sand itself, so hopefully someone more knowledgeable will answer shortly. That being said, any reason you would be doing any treatments in the tank itself? I would reccomend any cleaning of the rocks, sand, etc. to occur in a seperate container for ease of cleaning/rinsing.
You should absolutely post in the meet & greet forum if you get the chance!
I don't know the best way to seperate your sandbed from the abiotic preciptation without possibly eating away at the sand itself, so hopefully someone more knowledgeable will answer shortly. That being said, any reason you would be doing any treatments in the tank itself? I would reccomend any cleaning of the rocks, sand, etc. to occur in a seperate container for ease of cleaning/rinsing.
Michael Gray
Valuable Member
Why not stop dosing. Shut it off. Break up sand. My tank being new would get hard spots. Especially around rock. I would just like it with my tongs. Kept doing it and not my sand isn't hard at all now tank is 8.5 months old
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm tearing down the tank. All the fish and coral have been relocated. I'm no longer dosing anything. The entire sandbed is a brick now. I wasn't sure how to how to go about breaking it up without breaking the glass. I don't plan to reuse the sand, i just need to figure out how to break it up.
Reeferdude1888
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Hi look I'm no chemist but when I clean my pumps and skimmer I use some viniger to brake down the coralline algae maybe it will work with sand in your tank as I say just an idea.
Miller535
Valuable Member
I would run some citric acid in the tank. Take out all of the rock, leave just the sand and water,and run citric acid through it. It will likely still require you to tap at it and pull, but it should help you remove it. As it is very good at melting coraline and calcium precipitation off of equipment.
davescj
Active Member
I was thinking vinegar too. Home Depot sells high strength vinegar (30%, which to make 'regular strength' means 1 part vinegar to 7 parts water). That would bust out your Ca pretty quick.
