Sand Bed

[kp33]

Talking with my LFS about a phosphate issue I’ve been having. One thing he asked is how old is the sand bed, mine is at least 11 years old, he told me I need to remove and put new sand in. Is this true, I always thought never mess with the sand bed, now he did say to do it increments like 1/4 at a time until it’s all out then add new sand, he said this shound be done every 5-7 years, if that’s the case I’m at least at 11 from when I have owned the current sand, but it’s older than that because I bought the whole set up from someone and I don’t know how long they had the same sand before I got it, I know I have had the current sand for 11 years. Thanks and if what he said is true that it’s time to change it do I really need to do it in increments or can I do it all at once?

 

[Stephen8169301]

Talking with my LFS about a phosphate issue I’ve been having. One thing he asked is how old is the sand bed, mine is at least 11 years old, he told me I need to remove and put new sand in. Is this true, I always thought never mess with the sand bed, now he did say to do it increments like 1/4 at a time until it’s all out then add new sand, he said this shound be done every 5-7 years, if that’s the case I’m at least at 11 from when I have owned the current sand, but it’s older than that because I bought the whole set up from someone and I don’t know how long they had the same sand before I got it, I know I have had the current sand for 11 years. Thanks and if what he said is true that it’s time to change it do I really need to do it in increments or can I do it all at once?

You don’t want to do it all at once increments could cause spikes I believe but a more veteran reefer will likely help you and curious to know this answer @vetteguy53081

 

[kp33]

When I say increments I mean do a 1/4 then let it go for a week or so then do another 1/4 and do that over 4-6 weeks until all the sand is out then add the new sand. That’s what my LFS suggested.

 

[Stephen8169301]

When I say increments I mean do a 1/4 then let it go for a week or so then do another 1/4 and do that over 4-6 weeks until all the sand is out then add the new sand. That’s what my LFS suggested.

I know you do this when you want to remove the sand bed so it isn’t a huge shock to the eco maybe split the tank into fractions and remove and add wait a week let it settle and take over how big is the tank and how much sand is in there any pics?

 

[vetteguy53081]

You don’t want to do it all at once increments could cause spikes I believe but a more veteran reefer will likely help you and curious to know this answer @vetteguy53081

I know of people with 20+ year tanks and using same sand without issues. The only thing that does occur is the breakdown of silicates But my thought personally is if tank and coral are doing nicely- why disturb it.
I add occasional liquid bacteria and siphon bedding sporadically.
You can follow that suggestion but you may or may not get diatoms which can be dealt with and the plan with 25% surface area at a time is a safe bet

 

[kp33]

My issue is I can’t get my phosphates under one, after cutting back lights, less feeding even though I never over feed anyway, running rowaphos in a reactor this was his next suggestion because the sand bed can hold and release bad things back into the water and cause phosphates and nitrates to be high so that’s when he asked how old the sand bed is because I’ve done everything else to get phosphates down under .1 and can’t.
It’s a 90 gallon woth a few inches of sand bed.

 

[Dan_P]

Talking with my LFS about a phosphate issue I’ve been having. One thing he asked is how old is the sand bed, mine is at least 11 years old, he told me I need to remove and put new sand in. Is this true, I always thought never mess with the sand bed, now he did say to do it increments like 1/4 at a time until it’s all out then add new sand, he said this shound be done every 5-7 years, if that’s the case I’m at least at 11 from when I have owned the current sand, but it’s older than that because I bought the whole set up from someone and I don’t know how long they had the same sand before I got it, I know I have had the current sand for 11 years. Thanks and if what he said is true that it’s time to change it do I really need to do it in increments or can I do it all at once?

What happens after 5-7 years that requires the sand bed to be removed?

Leave the sand alone and use a little GFO to reduce the phosphate in the water. Find another LFS.

 

[kp33]

You mentioned corals doing well that’s the other issue they don’t spread like they should, never have had good coral growth and one reason I’ve been told is due to the phosphates being high could affect them growing and spreading.

 

[kp33]

Im using rowa phos in a reactor, not helping much, that is why he suggested the sand bed once he realized it’s at least 11 years old.

 

[tmRoth]

I have a 90 gallon with about a 3-inch sand bed that's over 10 years old, but no phosphate problems. A few years ago I hired a professional to come in and do some work on the tank and he suggested removing the sand bed simply because he doesn't like them, he prefers bare bottom. But he did say that the sand bed should be removed a little at a time because it's going to release certain compounds into the water and you don't want them to spike too high. Never got into a discussion of the specifics on that, though.

 

[Stephen8169301]

I know of people with 20+ year tanks and using same sand without issues. The only thing that does occur is the breakdown of silicates But my thought personally is if tank and coral are doing nicely- why disturb it.
I add occasional liquid bacteria and siphon bedding sporadically.
You can follow that suggestion but you may or may not get diatoms which can be dealt with and the plan with 25% surface area at a time is a safe bet

I would agree but couldn’t you just skim the top and just put a layer of fresh sand to avoid digging up the stuff at the bottom

 

[kp33]

I have a 90 gallon with about a 3-inch sand bed that's over 10 years old, but no phosphate problems. A few years ago I hired a professional to come in and do some work on the tank and he suggested removing the sand bed simply because he doesn't like them, he prefers bare bottom. But he did say that the sand bed should be removed a little at a time because it's going to release certain compounds into the water and you don't want them to spike too high. Never got into a discussion of the specifics on that, though.

That’s pretty much what my LFS guy said as well that if the sand bed is in long enough it could raise nitrates and phosphates…after me telling him everything I’ve tried to lower the phosphates that is when he asked how old is the sand bed because he said between my light regiment my feeding and that I run rowaphos in a reactor that is the only thing that could be the problem that the old sand bed is trapping the phosphates and then releasing them into the water.

 

[Jbell370]

My sand bed is 3 years old, never cleaned it until a few months ago and now I syphon 10g every two weeks or so. With the dark dirty water that I remove it was hard for me to understand how the water was so clear.

 

[kp33]

I would agree but couldn’t you just skim the top and just put a layer of fresh sand to avoid digging up the stuff at the bottom

I asked the same thing and he said the bottom is where most of the crap is kept so that would probably change numbers in the beginning but more like a band aid than anything.

 

[kp33]

My sand bed is 3 years old, never cleaned it until a few months ago and now I syphon 10g every two weeks or so. With the dark dirty water that I remove it was hard for me to understand how the water was so clear.

That’s the other thing I never syphon, just water changes I was always under the idea of don’t touch the sand bed. My water is always clear that’s never an issue so yeah I wonder what’s trapped in the sand bed.

 

[Stephen8169301]

That’s the other thing I never syphon, just water changes I was always under the idea of don’t touch the sand bed. My water is always clear that’s never an issue so yeah I wonder what’s trapped in the sand bed.

I don’t touch my sand bed do you have any conches or snails or any type of sand sifters that clean

 

[kp33]

I don’t touch my sand bed do you have any conches or snails or any type of sand sifters that clean

Yep have all that stuff. Always have good clean up crew in my tank that was another thing he asked as well before suggesting to change the sand bed, I mean don’t get me wrong I’d rather not sounds like a pain but I’ve been fighting the phosphate thing for a long time and hate that my corals never grow or spread. Not sure if the higher .16 on average phosphates are causing them to not do much but I’m trying to figure out how to help them and keep seeing that High phosphates can block their growth.

 

[Stephen8169301]

Yep have all that stuff. Always have good clean up crew in my tank that was another thing he asked as well before suggesting to change the sand bed, I mean don’t get me wrong I’d rather not sounds like a pain but I’ve been fighting the phosphate thing for a long time and hate that my corals never grow or spread. Not sure if the higher .16 on average phosphates are causing them to not do much but I’m trying to figure out how to help them and keep seeing that High phosphates can block their growth.

What kind of water do you use for your tank to rodi or tap

 

[kp33]

What kind of water do you use for your tank to rodi or tap

LFS RO….never tap

 

[vetteguy53081]

I would agree but couldn’t you just skim the top and just put a layer of fresh sand to avoid digging up the stuff at the bottom

While you can, you still have the sediment and detritus within and just mixing with new.
As for what can turn over the sand. . . Nassarius snails, and sand sifting stars and what I don't favor but bristle worms