Changing Out Sand?

[stepho725]

I had a tank about 7+ years ago which I started over 10 years ago. Anyways, I used playground sand for that old tank and so when starting my new tank thought that was the best course of action again - what a bargain, right? Now I'm reading a lot more about how it can be harmful and actually cut animals. My other concern was whether the sand was helping to buffer Ph and such because my Ph is low and that was how it was in my old tank also...steady but very low. I am on month three and as you can imagine with silicate sand I'm going through quite a diatom bloom but also the rest of the tank is preparing for coraline algae.
Here's the question: should I remove my sand & replace it with argonite sand? I do have a few nassarius snails. I was hoping to eventually have a sand sitting goby. Or should I accept my fate and give up on my plans for a sand sifter?
Thanks!

 

[Rickybobby]

You can do it. But I believe removing all that established bacteria could start a cycle again I’ve heard. I have had luck myself doing something similar but added a bottle of fritz zyme 9 and turned off skimmer and Uv and never saw ammonia

 

[stepho725]

I wonder if I did a quarter of the tank at a time once a week(?) Over a month's time and have Fritz on hand just incase? Or perhaps I could take half the sand out and put argonite base on top? I'm just wondering how imperative it is that I get rid of the playground sand I guess. Is there a better subject area to ask this perhaps?

 

[Rickybobby]

What’s the tank size and age ?

 

[stepho725]

The tank is a 40B and 3 months old

 

[greetl01]

I wonder if I did a quarter of the tank at a time once a week(?) Over a month's time and have Fritz on hand just incase? Or perhaps I could take half the sand out and put argonite base on top? I'm just wondering how imperative it is that I get rid of the playground sand I guess. Is there a better subject area to ask this perhaps?

I was watching a thread last week (bc I’m considering going bare bottom) where they did exactly this. They said they had no problems.

 

[JohnnyBlowfish]

Pull it all out at once and replace it with sand you prefer. @brandon429 can give you examples of this working without issues.

 

[kados]

I siphoned all of my sand out of 180+ gallon tank. I had no issues. You should be fine if you have other bio bacteria supporting the system (live rock, seeded dry rock, bio spheres, cubes etc..). Tanks been bare bottom for 2 months now. I plan on adding Caribsea special grade which is a little bigger thank the fine sand. But yes it can be done.

 

[stepho725]

Thank you for your help folks! So....um....where do I buy dry sand?? LOL I can buy a few bags of live sand to help it along also.

 

[stepho725]

I have live rock only....should I maybe throw my HOB filter on and get a sponge or rock in there to get some extra bacteria source maybe?

 

[Garf]

I have live rock only....should I maybe throw my HOB filter on and get a sponge or rock in there to get some extra bacteria source maybe?

If you’ve got enough rock, you will be golden. Put a quick pic up. What livestock you got?

 

[stepho725]

Not home at the moment and dont have an updated photo but this is the amount of rock I've got in there. This was the first day I started cycling. Minus maybe 5-10lbs I removed a couple useless rocks. Still easily 40+lbs. I've got 2 clowns and a royal gramma* and a cleaner shrimp and a several CUC members (nassarius included)

 

[Rubberfrog]

Swap it out all at once with throughly rinsed aragonite. You won't have a cycle because the bacteria is on your rock.

 

[brandon429]

agreed and its more than enough. don't need bottle bac, or extra surface area its simply enough rocks for the swap. rinse the new sand with tap until perfectly cloudless, final rinse in RO, then ready for use/swap

 

[brandon429]

the key issue for you is you need to get out the animals before you stir up old sand in the swap

as long as swirled waste doesn't contact them they'll handle the new setup just fine, net out fish as you are draining down, before things get muddy