Storage of Sand

[ORReefer]

So several years ago when we setup our 55 gallon we made the decision to use sugar sand for the substrate. It looks really cool but it has caused a number of problems over the years. Most recently we aquired a diamond watchman to filter through sand and help keep it clean. He's doing a great job but the sugar sand is so fine that as he filters it it gets caught in the water flow and then gets deposited all over the tank. As you could imagine the corals don't much appreciate this. We have experimented with and found larger substrate that the fish can sift and doesn't get everywhere.

So, the sugar sand has got to go. However, we don't want to just throw it out. We are considering saving it and putting it in a new sump we are planning to install. The sump won't have any corals in it just Chato (or similar) and some reef bugs. We're thinking the bugs might actually enjoy the fine sand. So here are the questions:

1. What's the best way to store the sand, wet or dry (any pluses or minuses for either)?

2. Are there really any benefits to using the sand in the sump or will it actually cause problems?

 

[Auquanut]

I started out using the same kind of sand in my biocube 29. I hated it for the same reason, and wound up siphoning out as much as I could. As far as using it in the sump, I personally don't keep sand or mud in my sump. There are differing opinions on this, but for me, rock rubble under the chaeto works fine for the critters and is a lot less messy when it comes time for sump maintenance. If you do decide to reuse it, I would rinse it very well and dry it out. I wouldn't recommend reusing it because any bacteria will have died and any detritus will just have gotten nastier.

 

[rmurken]

I have a bunch of sand left over from cleaning my tank. I’ve tried rinsing it but it’s still filthy from detritus and die-off of microfauna. I wonder if you’d run into the same thing if you store it.

What I’ve done is cure it like rock. Covered it with some SW in a bucket, buried an air stone deep in it, and let it sit. I do ammonia and nitrate tests on the water in the bucket to check on the progress, and periodically change the water. It’s getting there, but I’m going on a month.

 

[ORReefer]

I started out using the same kind of sand in my biocube 29. I hated it for the same reason, and wound up siphoning out as much as I could. As far as using it in the sump, I personally don't keep sand or mud in my sump. There are differing opinions on this, but for me, rock rubble under the chaeto works fine for the critters and is a lot less messy when it comes time for sump maintenance. If you do decide to reuse it, I would rinse it very well and dry it out. I wouldn't recommend reusing it because any bacteria will have died and any detritus will just have gotten nastier.

Thanks that's pretty much what I figured would be the answer but I hate throwing away things I paid for.

As a last ditch effort, does anyone have any other potential uses for old sand? For example could you use it in your garden or for another non-aquarium purpose?

I started out using the same kind of sand in my biocube 29. I hated it for the same reason, and wound up siphoning out as much as I could. As far as using it in the sump, I personally don't keep sand or mud in my sump. There are differing opinions on this, but for me, rock rubble under the chaeto works fine for the critters and is a lot less messy when it comes time for sump maintenance. If you do decide to reuse it, I would rinse it very well and dry it out. I wouldn't recommend reusing it because any bacteria will have died and any detritus will just have gotten nastier.

Thanks that's pretty much what I figured would be the answer but I hate throwing away things I paid for.

As a last ditch effort, does anyone have any other potential uses for old sand? For example could you use it in your garden or for another non-aquarium purpose?

 

[ORReefer]

I have a bunch of sand left over from cleaning my tank. I’ve tried rinsing it but it’s still filthy from detritus and die-off of microfauna. I wonder if you’d run into the same thing if you store it.

What I’ve done is cure it like rock. Covered it with some SW in a bucket, buried an air stone deep in it, and let it sit. I do ammonia and nitrate tests on the water in the bucket to check on the progress, and periodically change the water. It’s getting there, but I’m going on a month.

This only makes me more sure I don't want to do this.