Mistake with New 150 gallon Display Tank

[Alvi]

Greetings,

I set up a new 150 gallon (display) tank about 4 weeks ago and made the grave mistake of not washing/rinsing the Fiji Pink sand before purchasing and filling the saltwater. Now the system has cycled but every time I disturb the sand a cloud comes out of it and sometimes even stains the glass. Is there anything I can do to clean the sand without removing all the water and harming the beneficial bacteria and copepods? Thank you.

 

[Copingwithpods]

Regular vacumming of the sand will get rid of the dust, this method could take a while.

 

[codycolina707]

Greetings,

I set up a new 150 gallon (display) tank about 4 weeks ago and made the grave mistake of not washing/rinsing the Fiji Pink sand before purchasing and filling the saltwater. Now the system has cycled but every time I disturb the sand a cloud comes out of it and sometimes even stains the glass. Is there anything I can do to clean the sand without removing all the water and harming the beneficial bacteria and copepods? Thank you.

i had the same sand in my first tank and added a diamond goby after about a month of him sifting it all the loose really fine stuff filtered out

 

[Alvi]

i had the same sand in my first tank and added a diamond goby after about a month of him sifting it all the loose really fine stuff filtered out

Thank you- so you did not initially wash your sand either?

 

[lilgrounchuck]

You can always use a vacuum. Just have it drain into a filter sock in your sump instead of getting rid of the water. It won’t get all of it, but it’ll help. Just make sure to vacuum one area of the sand bed really well at every water change too. Youll eventually wind up getting it all out.

 

[Cwentz758]

Did you already add rock work and such? If not, you could drain your water into brute cans atleast most of it. Take a dust pan and scoop the sand into a bucket then rinse it. I just did this with my established tank.
Once the sand is out suck out the rest of the dirty water and dispose.
rinse the sand with a garden hose until the rinse water is clear (can take like 45 min with constant stirring) then rinse it with fresh RODI water.
Add the sand to the tank then refill the tank with the water, you shouldn’t have any cloud in your tank when it fills, and if you do have rock you can blast the rocks in a 5 gal bucket with a powerhead or turkey baster to remove any nasties.

 

[Alvi]

Regular vacumming of the sand will get rid of the dust, this method could take a while.

Thank you

 

[Alvi]

You can always use a vacuum. Just have it drain into a filter sock in your sump instead of getting rid of the water. It won’t get all of it, but it’ll help. Just make sure to vacuum one area of the sand bed really well at every water change too. Youll eventually wind up getting it all out.

Thank you

 

[Alvi]

Did you already add rock work and such? If not, you could drain your water into brute cans atleast most of it. Take a dust pan and scoop the sand into a bucket then rinse it. I just did this with my established tank.
Once the sand is out suck out the rest of the dirty water and dispose.
rinse the sand with a garden hose until the rinse water is clear (can take like 45 min with constant stirring) then rinse it with fresh RODI water.
Add the sand to the tank then refill the tank with the water, you shouldn’t have any cloud in your tank when it fills, and if you do have rock you can blast the rocks in a 5 gal bucket with a powerhead or turkey baster to remove any nasties.

Thank you but yes, I do have all the rock and coral in place.