Reusing sand

BadPanda · Mar 4, 2019

I have a 10 month old Nuvo 20 that I will be upgrading to a Nuvo 40 end of the week. Old tank currently has 20 lbs of sand that I would like to use on top of a new 10 pound sand. I was planning on rinsing the old sand with tap until clear and then salt as a final rinse. I will be using Dr. Tims one and done once the 40 is set up. I've read regarding deeep sandbeds here and how it should not be disturbed. What would constitute as a deep sand bed? Is my sand old enough to warrant a new one instead? For practicality sake, I just don't see the point of dumping x amount of sand and replacing it. I've been reading up all day regarding this and I'm torn between the two. I'm just worried about my LPS. My kids have grown into them specially my hammers. Thanks in advance.

Current stock
x2 torch
x2 hammers
x1 lobo
x1 tort
x2 no name acros
x1 galaxea

Sod Buster · Mar 4, 2019

Where is the new tank going? Right where the old one is? Will you be storing the livestock & rock in tubs? What is your plan?, as saving the sand you can do a couple ways if we know your plan. Some pics also if possible.

BadPanda · Mar 4, 2019

Sod Buster said:
Where is the new tank going? Right where the old one is? Will you be storing the livestock & rock in tubs? What is your plan?, as saving the sand you can do a couple ways if we know your plan. Some pics also if possible.

The 40 will be going to the same spot. I have 40 gal bin as a temporary placement. Will be using same live rock. My original plan is have a filter sock at the end of the siphon tube while filling up the bin. Fill old tank with more SW (all livestock out and safely in bin) and just keep siphoning/filtering the crud out. After reading some threads regarding this. I think it would be just easier to place old sand in another bin and use tap water for rinsing. Pic below is a couple months old due to being busy (actual started this thread at work). Thanks for the fast response. Before I go to Tang jail, Purple tang will be returned.

BadPanda · Mar 4, 2019

One of my reasons for reusing the sand is due to finding baby RFA's on my rock and hoping to find more on the sand.

Sod Buster · Mar 4, 2019

That is a plan. Fill your tub w/ 20 gallons and keep a powerhead and heater in the tub overnight. Siphon the old tank down without disturbing the old sand. Get the water down to an inch of the sand. Use a kids toy sandbox/beach shovel and scoop the sand into a 5 gallon bucket. Get the new tank 1/2 full of water and transfer the livestock. I use a small pump on the end of my siphon cleaner. Fill the new tank and get it going with bactwria and the new sand. Your old sand you can rinse a little at a time in a small bowl like gold panning, or shove a hose in the bucket and let the nasty flow over the top. Salt rinse is fine. Reef on.

Sod Buster · Mar 4, 2019

BadPanda said:
One of my reasons for reusing the sand is due to finding baby RFA's on my rock and hoping to find more on the sand.

Then don't rinse the sand in fresh water. Keep a few inches of water in the old tank and stir it to get the detritus to suspend in the water. Shovel the sand to one side of the tank and siphon that dirty water out. Shovel the sand into a bucket of saltwater. Take a scoop or two at a time in a bowl w/ saltwater to float the nasty out and put in the new tank.

BadPanda · Mar 4, 2019

Thank you for the reassurance Sod. I will do what your post said. Thanks again.

PatW · Mar 4, 2019

The term “deep sand beds” can mean a couple of different things. I can be about 4 inches of rubble and coarse sand for burrowing fish like jawfish.

Or it can be about 4 inches or more that has an anaerobic zone. The idea for this is that denitrifying can convert nitrates to nitrogen gas. The downside is organic molecules do not break down very fast in anaerobic conditions and can accumulate. Stirring up a deep sand bed can cause a mini cycle, bacterial bloom and or oxygen depletion. A shallow sand bed for cosmetic reasons will not generally do this.

Even if you have a deep sand bed, if you empty the tank and clean the sand by rinsing and rerinsing is salt water, yor should be fine.