looking for tips on changing sand

a49panhead · Apr 18, 2013

I think my sand is contaminated. I'm having a tough time keeping my phosphates down and my sand has a gray brown build up along and under rocks where the water flow is low. I'm going to rearrange my rocks because they're all over the bottom instead of in a tall pile. i think a structure in the middle will look better and make it easier to clean the new sand. My plan was to remove the sand about a 3rd at a time which is about 15-20 lb a week and replace it with new live sand working my way across the tank in the process give my rocks a good rinse in salt water to get off the little build up of algae. Would this change be to fast? I have mostly LPS and softy's. My tank is a tall 60 with a canister filter and a piggy back skimmer. Thanks for any help.

Salty-Noob · Apr 18, 2013

Does it have livestock in it?

mike007 · Apr 18, 2013

When you start moving the rocks and sand you will find that your water will almost turn black. You need to take out all livestock if you are planning on a major over haul. I did mine last summer and ended up replacing all the substrate because it was so nasty. I was getting high nitrates and could not get it down. Since i changed my substrate and started taking care of my tank properly it is doing great. You also need to get rid of the cannister filter. Good cured live rock ,skimming and circulation is all you need.

Reefing Madness · Apr 18, 2013

No easy way to do it. A rather large high GPH filter will help out a bunch here if you've got one or can borrow one. By moving the sand around your going to make the tank ugly in a hurry, and throw it more than likely into a mini cycle, which doesnt' last long, but long enough to tick off the fish and corals.
Like Mike007 has explained though, your tank will turn black once you start, and removing all the live stock will help vastly. Keep that filter running through the whole process to collect as much garbage as it can, leave alittle water out of the tank, you so can do a huge water change after your done. Leave the filter running on the tank for 24hours then you should be good to remove it. Put the fish back in once yo've completed the big WC. Making sure the water is to temperature and SG as before.

dastowers · Apr 18, 2013

Or..go bare bottom.

mcarroll · Apr 18, 2013

Removing the sand bed can be done without issue if you are systematic about preserving your bio filter.

Start by siphoning out the sand bed out during water changes over the course of at least a week - longer may be better - about 20% at a time until it's gone. I'd start at the base of the rocks where you've noticed it's the worst, then work across the tank week by week in even sections.

You may find that this is all you need to do. I would plan to boost/correct your flow issues, maybe including restacking your rock or even removing some to allow for better flow.

If you find that the rocks are still holding a lot of detritus, it's better to remove them from the tank to be cleaned in a bucket if you want to minimize the mess in the tank.

-Matt

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mcarroll · Apr 18, 2013

dastowers said:
Or..go bare bottom.

+1

Highly recommended.

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dastowers · Apr 19, 2013

Just converted my 150g reef. PO4 was 2.0 after I used "used sand". Bought the sand and rock from a fellow reefer and it was loaded.

PO4 went from 2.0 to .25 in ONE day. I have a hanna checker and even had my LFS double check. After 23 years of having saltwater I will never go back to sand.

a49panhead · Apr 21, 2013

first off thanks for the help. I started the sand change today. I dont have a place to keep all my livestock so i decided to take the big part off my vack and slowly suck out the sand. it worked good the tank did not get nasty. i took as mutch sand out that i could with 15 gwc. it was probably about 8-10 lb of sand. i think if i do that every wc till its gone then adjust rocks. I mite just go with the sandless bottom, the water itn the buket was black and nasty.