sandbed

[MPISCIOTTI]

think it is time to change my sand bed. it is about 5 years old. looks dirty have tons of shells all over it.

here is the question can i just take it all out and replace it. or should i leave some of the old sand in to seed the new sand. i do not like the way bare bottom looks..


thankyou

 

[loismustdie]

I just remove the big shells and pour new sand over the old, slowly. I do this every year and about 25 lbs. brings me back up where I like it. I wouldn't beat up the look of those bare bottom tanks, I've seen some of these guys tanks. They're beautiful. I tried bare bottom 4 years ago and failed miserably. I had a fuge, but I didn't have the bad a$$ skimmer some of these guys were running with. I think Solbby was successful with a skimmer that wasn't up to Jackson's speed. As for the bare bottom, even mine was covered with coralline in a couple of months.

 

[DEEPWATER]

Mike

YOu can take out the top part or all ,,but a bit at a time ,you dont want to release an toxins in your tank killing off livestock
then add or leave BB
but do this all slowly

 

[herman]

How deep is your sandbed? Depending on the depth you can or can not remove it without removing all of the inhabitants.

 

[MPISCIOTTI]

the depth is about 2 1/2 inches.. i was going to empty out the whole tank take it apart then put it back together..

figured that is the best way to do it....

 

[MPISCIOTTI]

also im not beating up the look of bare bottom i just like the look of sand in a tank

 

[loismustdie]

breaking down the tank just to replenish some sand sounds like a lot of work, unless you want to rearrange your rock work. Just pour it in, no more than 1/4" to 1/2" a day. This gives whatever is in your bed time to move around.

 

[MPISCIOTTI]

yes it is alot of work your right. but i also want to drill some holes in my tank for a closed loop.. the promoblem is im home from work. and bored so i get all these ideas on what i want to do to my tank..i did order a custom sump today..

 

[loismustdie]

LOL, we're all guilty of that. If you gotta drill it, then you might as well empty it. Where did you get your sump from? I run a closed loop too. I like it. I wish I put more gph through my closed loop than I did and a little less gph in my sump pump. I did a lot to correct micro bubbles, but I still get some. I'll be messing with my sump this weekend.

 

[skatezen]

think it is time to change my sand bed. it is about 5 years old. looks dirty have tons of shells all over it.

here is the question can i just take it all out and replace it. or should i leave some of the old sand in to seed the new sand. i do not like the way bare bottom looks..


thankyou

Dirty is good. That means it is working to export nutrients and full of life. I wouldn't touch it. You'd basically be removing your biological filter. Then your tank would spike in ammonia, nitrate and nitrate and probably give you lots O' problems. If it ain't broke, done fix it. Get a conch or two, they'll brighten that sand right up.

 

[MPISCIOTTI]

skatezen i went and asked my next door neighbor. she is a marine biologist. she told me do not touch anything also. just get a clean up crew and will look like new... so to reeftopia i go.. also upgrading my sump and adding more flow

 

[skatezen]

Turbos and Hermits won't help with the sand, they'll just eat algae and leftovers, you need a conch or two, a sand sifting star or cucumber. Although I think the conches are the best way to go. How big of a tank?

 

[MPISCIOTTI]

i am going to put some horseshoe crabs. conch hermits snails. also a sand sifting goby... the tank is 120 gallons

 

[skatezen]

The horseshoe crabs will most likely not live long, they are a tidal animal. From experience I wouldn't put a sand sifting goby in there either unless you want sand all over your tank. They make a huge mess. Queen Conch, Hermits, and Mexican Turbos are the way to go. Fish Town had an awesome dean on the Mexican turbos. I think they were $2.99 each.