Replacing Sand....Ideas Please

[usfpaul82]

Hello all. Need some opinions. I upgraded from a 65 to a 90 about 3 weeks ago. I added all my live rock and some new fully cured rock to the 90. I decided to go with some sugar fine sand this time around.....i am regretting it. I have two vortech mp40s and there is constantly sand particles floating around the tank. I was hoping that things would eventually settle, and they did some but even the slightest disturbance (fish kicking sand, cleaning my glass, anything) the sand gets lifted and into the water column. It is 2-3"deep and I am really thinking about getting it out and putting in some heavier stuff. I currently only have a handful of sps frags and a few acans and a few fish. What do you guys think? I doubt it will ever settle out all the way with the amount of flow I want to have. How would you change it out without breaking down the tank.

Paul

 

[-Logzor]

Siphon it all out. Replace with tropic eden reef flakes. Sugar sand is simply not compatible with 2xMP40's.

 

[btkrausen]

Get some 3/4" clear hose and when you do a water change, siphon out some sand as well. It won't stir it up much at all.

Just make sure to rinse the new sand thoroughly before putting back in.

 

[AZDesertRat]

I would give it more time for the bacteria to coat the sand. It will eventually settle like a rock. I have 330 lbs of Southdown sugar sand in a 100G for a 5-6" DSB that was never rinsed and has never once been vacuumed or siphoned in 9 years of use and is a white today as it was the day I installed it. I also have two Evolutions 1400's on a RKL switching every 30 seconds and an Oceans Motions Squirt two way on my OR3500 return pump and have never regretted it.

I never rinse new sand if it is intended to be a functioning DSB, its the fines that support the most colonizing bacteria and are the most beneficial. If its a decorative bed then by all means rinse if you are so inclined.

 

[usfpaul82]

Thanks for the responses. I am leaning towards replacing. What about this. What if I just add about 1/2" of coarser sand on top of the sugar sand? I can pull it in around te edges of the tank so I don't see the two layers.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Many people do that, mix two different grades together. The coarser sand will always migrate to the top so will hold the fine sand down and works well.

 

[usfpaul82]

I went into Pet Supermarket on my lunch break to see if by chnace they have any sand. Luck so have it they actually carry CaribSea Special Grade Reef sand...which is what I wanted! It was only $33 for a 40 pound bag which seems pretty good considering there is no shipping! I bought one bag and will be rinsing the crap out of it tonight and tomorrow and will be adding the 1/2" layer over my current sand on sunday.