Should I discard sandbed after moving reef tank?

[Is this the LFS]

Not sure which forum to post this in so hopefully this was the right one. I’m bring my 10 gallon reef with me to college tomorrow but was wondering if I should remove the sandbed. The tank is only 2 months old and the sandbed is 1.5 inches. I also vacuum the sandbed regularly. Will it be fine to just leave the sandbed as is?

 

[bushdoc]

Two months old tank sandbed probably didn't acumulate a lot of detritus, but neither meiofauna and perhaps mostly some beneficial bacteria.
I would bring sanded, but if for whatever reason you don't want to, I would at least bring few scoops of it to seed new sandbed.

 

[Is this the LFS]

Two months old tank sandbed probably didn't acumulate a lot of detritus, but neither meiofauna and perhaps mostly some beneficial bacteria.
I would bring sanded, but if for whatever reason you don't want to, I would at least bring few scoops of it to seed new sandbed.

Ok thank you. I’ll just bring sandbed with me then. I was planning on draining the tank down to an inch of water and leaving the sandbed in the tank then putting rocks coral and fish into buckets. Is that the way it should be done?

 

[JonoH]

Ok thank you. I’ll just bring sandbed with me then. I was planning on draining the tank down to an inch of water and leaving the sandbed in the tank then putting rocks coral and fish into buckets. Is that the way it should be done?

Sounds right, if anything, just wash the sand before re-setting up the tank.
The bacteria in the rock is enough, and the sand will only hold old food and rubbish, wash it, wash it until the water is clear that comes from it - then re-use.

 

[Is this the LFS]

Sounds right, if anything, just wash the sand before re-setting up the tank.
The bacteria in the rock is enough, and the sand will only hold old food and rubbish, wash it, wash it until the water is clear that comes from it - then re-use.

Is washing it necessary? I ask because I’ve never washed the sandbed in tanks that I’ve had in the past and am wondering why moving it would require washing of the sandbed if it has been kept up pretty well with vacuuming

 

[JonoH]

Is washing it necessary? I ask because I’ve never washed the sandbed in tanks that I’ve had in the past and am wondering why moving it would require washing of the sandbed if it has been kept up pretty well with vacuuming

Its better for the whole tank, when you wash it, you will see how much trapped silt and dirt is in it.
When its washed properly, the junk in it wont cloud the water when its blown around.

Its probably not 100% necessary...but if your pretty much emptying the tank anyway, then its that last 1% that you could do that will make a difference in the long term.

 

[Is this the LFS]

Its better for the whole tank, when you wash it, you will see how much trapped silt and dirt is in it.
When its washed properly, the junk in it wont cloud the water when its blown around.

Its probably not 100% necessary...but if your pretty much emptying the tank anyway, then its that last 1% that you could do that will make a difference in the long term.

Got it. Thank you for the help

 

[_cpate3_]

Not sure which forum to post this in so hopefully this was the right one. I’m bring my 10 gallon reef with me to college tomorrow but was wondering if I should remove the sandbed. The tank is only 2 months old and the sandbed is 1.5 inches. I also vacuum the sandbed regularly. Will it be fine to just leave the sandbed as is?

LEAVE IT IN, after seeing so many threads about the dangers of sand I was so scared when I moved my tank to college. However I decided to bite the bullet and do it, not a single thing died during the move and all I did was add a shot of beneficial bacteria after moving. As long as the sand stays wet (not under water just wet) and when adding back the water you add it slowly using something like an ATO as to not stir up the bed, all will be fine. Especially in a 10 gallon that’s only been up for a while! Good luck and I hope everything works out

 

[MnFish1]

so the price of sand is minimal. Just buy new - So you don't become one of the people saying 'I transferred my sand - now a disaster'). Just buy new