Changing sand

[PaReeferJ]

Has anyone or is it ok to siphon out all the sand and replace it while your tank is up and running. The sand I have is bigger than what I would like and want to Change it out for a smaller grain sand. Will it hurt the system by doing this? If it can be done should I do it all at once or a little at a time?

 

[brandon429]

It can be done both ways we have threads on both. The benefit to incremental removal is no big work, the downside is each partial upwells nutrients and detritus as algae fuel and redeposits the waste on the rocks, around the tank.

One shot removal is big work, done in a day, adds the benefit of forcing you to detail clean every form of detritus you store to avoid killing your tank upon reassembly. That risk makes the first option seem preferable, but only to some. Partial cleaning leaves detritus in your system for future problems as partial cleaning in fear of disturbance rules the roost, and so does a litany of ongoing tank problems posted that are solely detritus storage issues. Clean tankers don't have. I do my own tank all at once, full rip cleaning when I attack waste. Majority will recommend partial and waste storage. An ongoing challenge in reefing is that detritus causes cycling and loss, so partial work avoids a cycle but leaves detritus compounding, and full swaps completely reset detritus stores but any impartial actions during the full tank run is a cycle risk. It's never the tank take down that does the harm, it's the detritus.

Regardless of mode chosen, do this to your brand new sand:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...ead-aka-one-against-many.230281/#post-2707175


Your bio filtration isn't affected by either mode, it's commonly assumed that loss of bac w matter. Nay says bare bottom converters

 

[nervousmonkey]

It can be done both ways we have threads on both. The benefit to incremental removal is no big work, the downside is each partial upwells nutrients and detritus as algae fuel and redeposits the waste on the rocks, around the tank.

One shot removal is big work, done in a day, adds the benefit of forcing you to detail clean every form of detritus you store to avoid killing your tank upon reassembly. . It's never the tank take down that does the harm, it's the detritus.

Regardless of mode chosen, do this to your brand new sand:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...ead-aka-one-against-many.230281/#post-2707175

+1 to this^^^^
Go for one shot removal. It'll get the nutrients out quickly, in one day, which you can prepare for by having a good amount of fresh SW to change. I've done it many times, changing sand that is. Safe if you follow Brandon's advice.

 

[brandon429]

in 2016 onward I'm all about reversing old trends = store store store

Two takeaways from recent rip cleaner threads regarding safety:

Know your detritus stores before disassembly. If you take a test rock out of my reef and shake it in a bucket of clean water, testing for detritus castings, clean water still results. I live detritus free constantly in every action.

Take a test rock from most hands off tanks, leaves cloudy mud in the clean water bucket. This means not only a sand cleaning but a rock cleaning too. Moving yucky rocks between holding buckets, clean v old tanks, equals detritus ejection and where goes detritus a cycle follows. Store dirty rocks separate from fish while in rip clean holding. Clean rocks can stay with fish in holding. If rocks can't pass a quick assessment cloud test, to me it means rip clean remove that potential.

To others it means don't rip clean, tread lightly, add some gfo. Big crossroads choice there.

- human injury
Friend ReefKnight did a multi hundred pounds rock cleaning after full storage years, emerged with literal cuts on hands poky vermetids etc. Got infections, very risky. Vibrio is really risky and found in many tanks unlike palytxn which is species indicated risk. Vibrio can be found on any marine substrate, use caution when handling mass rocks. Know your detritus locations before beginning isolate isolate isolate

 

[cb684]

I posted an experience I had few days ago here. It worked for me to deal with the detritus and avoid a mini cycle.

 

[brandon429]

very on point for this thread that's sharp work. people with larger tanks do not want to do full water changes, that's just easy stuff for a nanoist to type where a few gallons is full export. that was helpful for many to see above, good details.

know what would be post gold on a thread like that

a week-before nitrate and po4 test, then a week after

if you can keep them consistent in between that's detritus detailing to the nth during the procedure. leave none, in any creative way possible

 

[cb684]

a week-before nitrate and po4 test, then a week after

if you can keep them consistent in between that's detritus detailing to the nth during the procedure. leave none, in any creative way possible

I did not measure before so after would have very little value. Because most of my valued pieces on the 40 gallon system are LPS I am not very concerned with NO3 or PO4. If something, because I have such a small bioload, I believe those are (as they were in the past) low. But what I can say with certainty is, that in that system, there was very little, if any, film algae growth in the glass. And so far (4 days after), I did not see any type of algae bloom. SPS, chalices, and fish are doing well. So, although I could be wrong, I do not believe there was an important NO3 or PO4 spike. Last night I was able to see full polyp extension of the chalices and SPS...

 

[brandon429]

excellent, agreed

 

[PaReeferJ]

Thanks for the input. Mine is only a 40gal DT with 1 in of sand in it. I'm going to siphon it into a bucket and then filter the water back into the tank.

 

[cb684]

Thanks for the input. Mine is only a 40gal DT with 1 in of sand in it. I'm going to siphon it into a bucket and then filter the water back into the tank.

I am guessing you read about my experience. Make sure you use a good activated carbon after you finish filtering, and add some bacteria like MB7 or Dr. Tims. Good luck! Don't forget to share your experience afterwords.