Removing sand

[EZMAC114]

I'm battling cyano bacteria in my 36 gallon tank and was wondering how hard it would be to completely change out my sand. Every time I do a water change I remove some. Would it be a bad idea to put all of my fish and coral into a storage tote, remove all of my sand and replace it?

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Replacing the sand isn't going to solve your issue. There are a lot of factors that contribute to cyano. How long r ur lights on? How much r u feeding? How long has the tank been up? If its new, you're going to go thru this problems for the first few months until you get over the hump.

Siphon out the cyano and go lights out for a few days

 

[EZMAC114]

The tank is about a year and a half old. The whole setup was given to us from a friend my my girlfriend family...they had it for a little over and year before they gave it to us. Since I don't have a timer my lights(single T8) run from 630am-8pm. At one point I was feeding small pellets twice a day but now I've been doing once a day when I get home from work. I usually do weekly water changes...lately I've been doing about 50% because the nitrates spiked. I tried the lights out for a few days method but it still came back...I've also tried red slime remover. I'm going to be adding a refugium in the next couple months because I'm running a canister at the moment and think that's part of my high nitrate problem. I would still like to change my sand at some point because it's the real fine white sand and I prefer aragonite

 

[Sobo's Reef]

Well if its what u prefer then go for it. I'd definitely cut back on that light schedule tho. Maybe 11-7 for the main lights(moonlights don't really count IMO). Invest in a timer, u can get one at home depot for under $10. Also, ditch that canister, theyre nitrate factories.

 

[EZMAC114]

Yeah I planned on getting a timer because I have a new LED light for the tank but just haven't yet. And I'm definitely getting rid of the canister...I just need to get some glass cut so I can build the refugium

 

[rocky.d]

I changed completely my substrate careful cleaning my rocks in old water too, still retaining about 50% of water, a Lil invasive n tricky but I'd change 25-35% of water. my tank is a nano 5g , so it was drastic but it worked. So use your judgement. But it worked for me new sand.

 

[rocky.d]

Also update your lights when was the last time you replaced them, I also minimized the time lights would stay on, lesser feedings. And gradual water changes for a couple of days. To lower nitrates.