Looking to changed from sand to barebottom

[Jeff336]

I been thinking about this for a while i like the look of sand but, whats the best way to make the change the tank is around 7 months old sand bed 1.5 inch. Would just remove like 20% during my weekly water change be fine. Or is there a better way?

And once all the sand is out how do yall guys keep the coral on the bottom of glass? Glue down, or stick to small rock ect.

Decided if I want to do this I better do it soon, before coral got now get big and harder to move around ect thanks

 

[BackToTheReef]

BRS talks about this a number of times in some of their videos. They pulled the substrate out of one of their tanks (the 160???) and it caused all kinds of issues for them. I think they called it "a destabilizing event"

Hopefully some of the members here can give you some actual advise on best way to do it.

 

[Saltyreef]

Since the sand hosts a large majority of your beneficial bacteria, you can expect it to be like restarting the tank....
You may be able to circumvent this by adding some live mud into your sump before removal of sand.
Or wait a couple months and let some marine pure blocks load up with life in the sump first.

 

[Jeff336]

Yep i been watching some the BRS videos on the subject and few others but I want see how other members did theirs

 

[brandon429]

BRS did it wrong

here's how:

Official Sand Rinse and Tank Transfer thread

Not only do I love that job, I did it in my vase :) so it’s been modeled already/ done your job is just bigger. I’m going to link a thread where nobody listens regarding aiptasia removal, apply this to your mushroom tank. the sand cleaning is already covered here / ridding newly cleaned rocks...

www.reef2reef.com

for BRS to recommend partial work is dangerous, that's the least safe way.

you simply remove the sand, clean the rocks, and drop the light intensity down about 40% and ramp it back up over a week like its a new light, then nothing burns. we dont have any loss above from following a different order of ops than BRS tried

our system requires that you have decent live rock coverage to make up for sand loss, haven't seen a reef that was using too little live rock so we usually don't ask.

 

[Daddy-o]

I just vacuumed areas out when I was doing a water change. Never had an issue.

 

[Saltyreef]

Yep i been watching some the BRS videos on the subject and few others but I want see how other members did theirs

I removed mine all at once, installed starboard and put the liverock back in.
Major hair algae outbreak for a few months. Manual removal and help from 4 large mexican turbo snails fixed that though.

Wish i would have used mud in the sump.

 

[Double monti 61]

Hi I like to cover my bare bottom with sand.

 

[Saltyreef]

Hi I like to cover my bare bottom with sand.

Looks like it needs a good cleaning too

 

[sam.veilleux30]

Did it last spring on my 3 1/2 years reef.
One shot, no loss and it resolved my cyano problem, should have done it years ago.
For the corals that you want on the glass you should place them on a disc and add a drop of glue under it.
Good luck!

 

[Bleigh]

Did it last spring on my 3 1/2 years reef.
One shot, no loss and it resolved my cyano problem, should have done it years ago.
For the corals that you want on the glass you should place them on a disc and add a drop of glue under it.
Good luck!

Wow! That's gorgeous. #goals

I got a home depot bucket head and I'm taking very small amounts out each cleaning... like a handful of sand. I am not totally convinced that I want to go bare bottom, but I do think I have too much sand.

 

[vetteguy53081]

My most recent Oceanic tank is bare bottom. I decided to try it since tank is a fish only system, and I am liking it. Eventually, it will have coraline on bottm which will have a stony effect without the sand.

 

[Bleigh]

My most recent Oceanic tank is bare bottom. I decided to try it since tank is a fish only system, and I am liking it. Eventually, it will have coraline on bottm which will have a stony effect without the sand.

I am doing my new 15 gallon mini peninsula as a bare bottom. The only thing that puts me off about them is that you're limited on the fish you can have. I'm thinking I will do my dream tank barebottom and keep a smaller one with sand and softies.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I am doing my new 15 gallon mini peninsula as a bare bottom. The only thing that puts me off about them is that you're limited on the fish you can have. I'm thinking I will do my dream tank barebottom and keep a smaller one with sand and softies.

Mine will be angels, trigger or two, a couple of butterflies and harlequin tisk. None need presence of sand

 

[Bluedore]

Did it last spring on my 3 1/2 years reef.
One shot, no loss and it resolved my cyano problem, should have done it years ago.
For the corals that you want on the glass you should place them on a disc and add a drop of glue under it.
Good luck!

Is this possible? The DT is so clean and without any Coraline algae at all???

 

[X-37B]

Just glue the frag. They will plate out on the bottom.
Bare bottom of my 15 month old 120.

 

[X-37B]

Almost forgot.
Just added this one today.
A little glue and putty and good to go.

 

[sam.veilleux30]

Is this possible? The DT is so clean and without any Coraline algae at all???

Hi, the pic was soon after the removing of the sand, coraline came afterward.
I just scrape some when i do a wc.