why do I have to rinse NEW live sand?

[brahm]

In two +decades of settings up dozens of tanks, I’ve never rinsed new sand and have never had an issue. Only time I do it is if for whatever reason I’m going to transfer sand to a new setup and want to get as much detritus out as possible.

 

[brahm]

2x

 

[brandon429]

I bet all red chips the OP selects no pre rinse. They will agree with you, and posts from #7 simply don’t matter. The question was asked about rinsing solely to garner support around non rinsing, thats the bet.

 

[12PMER]

Right now in private message we are working a new nano reef (working tanks in message is different from sidelining, there's $ on the line) where phosphate was overdosed, we need a quick full change out.


they started with rinsed sand per the rules, and now their tank isn't going to cloud. These recommends arent to offend the trolls, they're coming from direct experience. Im fully ok with nobody rinsing sand initially, the sand rinse thread is at page fifty because they eventually need to play catch up.

by all means, follow the group think it keeps us busy elsewhere actually cleaning up the mess, and documenting it.

there is nothing more fun that being the only one in a post with relevant links... I do love it so. thanks for the invite soulpatch its fun to watch these threads always play out the same.

for sure the OP isn't going to rinse, I'll bet all red chips. strong chance itll be ok too, just not a 100% chance we show in post 7.

All I'm really asking is why i rinse if i have a conveyor system to get new sand right to the floor of the tank. I was NOT just gonna dump it in. Is there any advantages or disadvantages to new sand aside from the rinse/no rinse issue?

 

[Tamberav]

I am having, and been battling red slime for quite some weeks now maybe months I don't know. Anywho, I wanna siphon my sand to get it out but it just sucks all the sand with it so I need to get it back in the tank. I also wanted to bring my sand bed from 1.5 to 2.5 in the process. But why is it people rinse it thoroughly before putting it in tank? Seems counterproductive Considering its NEW and LIVE. doesn't adding it back in just help replace the beneficial elements I have removed from siphoning the my old sand bed of the red slime?? Also been battling 0(zero) nitrates for weeks and weeks and weeks. Just curious everyone's thoughts on this.

Because it's not very much LIVE sand. That is just the words on the bag Unless you are buying sand from Tampa Bay or something.

Rinsing it gets rid of the silt and crud... some claim this contributes to algae/cyano issues (but idk havn't experimented with it). My fish also make a mess of the finer stuff.

 

[Garf]

are the links in post number 7 good looking tanks, happy owners? How hard is it to simply click and read their examples Garf? You don’t assist anyone with anything it’s easy to be a side critic. Your post history shows only evaluations of others posts, you don’t make discovery threads to be evaluated. That’s a safe zone, convenient too.

I wanted the tenured advisors from that thread to self assess that doing evaluations from the sidelines sometimes turns out bad/opposite of what they initially advised, it’s how the links in post #7 arose.

I hope folks have actually looked up my posts, then work out for themselves who’s talking rubbish. Seems to be a frequent occurrence unfortunately.

 

[brandon429]

12PM

on post 7 those clouds came from choosing not to rinse its as simple as that, the conveyor won’t change outcomes.

if you have a low silt bag the guaranteed clouding will clear in ten days or less and if it’s a high silt bag, you get post #7 blot out.

simply pre test your sand and conveyor approach before testing in your tank. Fill up a tote with tap water, conveyor test in the sand and post a pic of how it looks initially/ see if you want that for your display


conversely

if you pre rinse it you can add or subtract or re scape or do big water changes with zero cloud, zero wait, choose which mode you want and apply it deliberately without hesitation


pre rinsing has effort gradients too: some folks choose limp rinsing where half the clouding remains two weeks but not total mud clouding per post seven

and then some folks aren’t lazy they simply snow globe rinse that sand and never look back
Rinse in tap till clear, final rinse ro, sand is ready no conveyor needed just dump it in. Pre test in a glass first.

the benefit is degrees of clouding, you have control over effecting zero cloud or full on regrettable cloud, choose.

 

[MabuyaQ]

This is why. Do you really want all this "stuff" in your tank?

Yes

 

[brandon429]

There isn’t a benefit from keeping it that’s for sure. Clean is best, clean is how we skip cycle new tank upgrades and home moves. anyone can source fifty pages to read on what rinsing does


for example, we can’t compile post #7 outcomes with rinsed sand


Rinsing has no downside, it’s all benefit


on the entire internet since inception, why is there not one single work thread using others reefs showing no rinse tank upgrades or home moves? Counter proofs are one example tank, the authors only, and if things went bad they won’t post the bad side.

dealing with others reefs they’ll drum you out of town if you kill their reef, they’ll post bad outcome immediately


rinsing is how we even out various presentations home to home that will kill systems when relocated without rinsing.


this initial rinse is to unlearn crowd sourced misinformation, silt clouding isn’t particularly harmful. It’s certainly not beneficial


cue the bacteria concerns in 3, 2

 

[Just a Wrasse.]

I always rinse it, i dont want all the other stuff in my tank.

 

[Cell]

Rinsing sand is not necessary, as clearly demonstrated by many. But it certainly doesnt hurt, also demonstrated by many, and it definitely removes a lot of fine dust and potentially other foreign debris or particles.

All that fine particulate matter would eventually settle and be removed slowly over time with no rinsing, but i would rather just eliminate it all from the start.

 

[brandon429]

Cell that really is it

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

The reason a bag of WET LIVE SAND will get cloudy in the water is all the beneficial bacteria It will get over everything and will start to do its job do not rinse !!! The water will get cloudy but will clear up.....then you can blow off the rocks for and sand that settled on the rocks. Now you tank is cycling.

So you're claiming that the haze in the water after adding live sand is the Bacteria in the water column?

You must have much better eyes than I. Last time I checked, humans can't see bacteria with the nakid eye.

 

[austibella]

This is why. Do you really want all this "stuff" in your tank?

This guy obviously knows nothing about LIVE BACTERIA IN SAND . Don't believe everything you see on utube

 

[TCoach]

This guy obviously knows nothing about LIVE BACTERIA IN SAND . Don't believe everything you see on utube

Actually I do. The majority (like +95%) comes from your live rock and filtration. Look at the test BRSTV have done.

Additionally, all the junk being rinsed out is the fines in the sand that just clouds your tank. Why would you want that? Rinsing the sand does not kill all the bacteria in your sand. But it does significantly help in increasing your tanks stability and clarity long term.

As @brandon429 has shown in multiple threads and multiple tanks (from pico to +100 gallon), rinsing sand has way more benefits than not.

@austibella If you have significant evidence the other way, please provide it.

 

[austibella]

This is why. Do you really want all this "stuff" in your tank?

This guy obviously knows nothing about LIVE BACTERIA IN SAND . Don't believe everything you see on utube

So you're claiming that the haze in the water after adding live sand is the Bacteria in the water column?

You must have much better eyes than I. Last time I checked, humans can't see bacteria with the nakid eye.

So you're claiming that the haze in the water after adding live sand is the Bacteria in the water column?

You must have much better eyes than I. Last time I checked, humans can't see bacteria with the nakid eye.

When it settles bacteria will go to the rocks it might take a few days it also has dust from sand which will filter out. Water clears up Bacteria will do its job you can blow off and sand on rocks why rinse out bacteria in a wet bag. Just buy a dry bag with no bacteria and you rinse it. You are paying more with a wet bag because it is loaded with beneficial bacteria. Do you have a good microscope? I do. check out all the live bacteria in a bag that says Live Bacteria! That's what your paying for to cycle a tank.your tank your money just trying to educate.

Actually I do. The majority (like +95%) comes from your live rock and filtration. Look at the test BRSTV have done.

Additionally, all the junk being rinsed out is the fines in the sand that just clouds your tank. Why would you want that? Rinsing the sand does not kill all the bacteria in your sand. But it does significantly help in increasing your tanks stability and clarity long term.

As @brandon429 has shown in multiple threads and multiple tanks (from pico to +100 gallon), rinsing sand has way more benefits than not.

@austibella If you have significant evidence the other way, please provide it.

Years of experience, I honestly never have seen any junk twigs etc in any bag of live wet sand that I have ever bought,yes it has dust but that will be removed by your filters I have had many success with all my tanks and of course a few mishaps like everyone else. my corals have spawned in my tanks so I figure maybe I am doing something right. BSR just did a new video that included bacteria and sand recently that was good.. Seems in this new world EVERYONE has become so critical, and making comments that are unnecessary We are supposed to help newcomers help with starting new tanks yes everyone tank is different. But it seems to me we are confusing new comers, I have studied bacteria and its effects i also have a good microscope to see what a drop of tank water looks like.its amazing its an entire world in one drop of water. Anyway im going to refrain from writing any more comments I feel like I'm on Facebook, to many debates. Think I will go do a waterchange and hang out with my fish. At least its calming and tranquil there

 

[TCoach]

This guy obviously knows nothing about LIVE BACTERIA IN SAND . Don't believe everything you see on utube


When it settles bacteria will go to the rocks it might take a few days it also has dust from sand which will filter out. Water clears up Bacteria will do its job you can blow off and sand on rocks why rinse out bacteria in a wet bag. Just buy a dry bag with no bacteria and you rinse it. You are paying more with a wet bag because it is loaded with beneficial bacteria. Do you have a good microscope? I do. check out all the live bacteria in a bag that says Live Bacteria! That's what your paying for to cycle a tank.your tank your money just trying to educate.

Years of experience, I honestly never have seen any junk twigs etc in any bag of live wet sand that I have ever bought,yes it has dust but that will be removed by your filters I have had many success with all my tanks and of course a few mishaps like everyone else. my corals have spawned in my tanks so I figure maybe I am doing something right. BSR just did a new video that included bacteria and sand recently that was good.. Seems in this new world EVERYONE has become so critical, and making comments that are unnecessary We are supposed to help newcomers help with starting new tanks yes everyone tank is different. But it seems to me we are confusing new comers, I have studied bacteria and its effects i also have a good microscope to see what a drop of tank water looks like.its amazing its an entire world in one drop of water. Anyway im going to refrain from writing any more comments I feel like I'm on Facebook, to many debates. Think I will go do a waterchange and hang out with my fish. At least its calming and tranquil there

Enjoy your tank. Glad you are having success. Next time, please don’t call someone out like you did just because you don’t like/believe what they post. You made quite the disparaging comment about me and what I know, so I just clarified what you said was not true.

Anyway, have a great day and enjoy your tank(s)!

 

[austibella]

Enjoy your tank. Glad you are having success. Next time, please don’t call someone out like you did just because you don’t like/believe what they post. You made quite the disparaging comment about me and what I know, so I just clarified what you said was not true.

Anyway, have a great day and enjoy your tank(s)!

I was talking about utube video not you sorry for the misunderstanding

 

[Reef.]

Because it's not very much LIVE sand. That is just the words on the bag Unless you are buying sand from Tampa Bay or something.

Rinsing it gets rid of the silt and crud... some claim this contributes to algae/cyano issues (but idk havn't experimented with it). My fish also make a mess of the finer stuff.

Exactly what I was going to post.

I would also add that if you don’t rinse and just let it settle that’s fine too but if you disturb the sand bed again in the future , if vacuuming etc the expect cloudy water again for a little time.

 

[brandon429]

Austibella,

the fault in the video isn't about bacteria its that he didn't rinse to total clarity and show that finality.

Official Sand Rinse and Tank Transfer thread

If you are reading this thread to cure a tank invasion from a link I sent you, we do not need to identify your type of invasion here we do not need you to test anything at anytime regarding nitrate, phosphate etc Above all, we do not need to see a microscope slide picture of your invasion at...

www.reef2reef.com

I grade the video 80% passing lol the bucket went from milky to street puddle clear, darn close.

so after two hours of study the final question arises: if we can tap water rinse the whole sandbed in twenty people's ten thousand dollar sps reef, what in the world harm is there from rinsing it right out of the bag