removing sand

[Jarrett]

i was curious if i could remove as much as my old sand as possible and replace with new sand. obviously over a course of time, not all at once. i have this bad cyno growing on my sand bed and i think its because i used my prior sand bed when i transfered my 45 over to the 75. i want to discard as much sand as possible do you think i can scoop some out and then replace with new sand. and it wont cause an issue for my tank?

 

[thirty5]

as long as you do a little at a time you should be ok, but just be careful. Not sure you can blame just the sand for the cyno probs.. what are your levels?

 

[Jarrett]

ammonia,nitrate,nitrite = 0
mag = 1200
cal = 400
alk = 8.1

no phosphate kit yet. and i think its a combination of things. my sand bed being 1, also i just added a good ammount of base rock to the system and its still maturing. but i wanted to add more sand to the tank anyway, and i think taking out the old sand with the cyno growing on it, could help a little bit. i never rinsed it or anything when i transfered it over from my 8 month old 45 gallon.

 

[Jaftica]

its probably not your sandbed

 

[Jarrett]

i use RO water as well so i dont know what would be contributing to it, i got a brand new sump and the chaeto is growing as well. no dead fish ever in the tank

 

[thirty5]

ammonia,nitrate,nitrite = 0
mag = 1200
cal = 400
alk = 8.1

no phosphate kit yet. and i think its a combination of things. my sand bed being 1, also i just added a good ammount of base rock to the system and its still maturing. but i wanted to add more sand to the tank anyway, and i think taking out the old sand with the cyno growing on it, could help a little bit. i never rinsed it or anything when i transfered it over from my 8 month old 45 gallon.

Phos is needed level. When you moved from one tank to another, was it right away? or did it sit for a while, the worst that would do is cause a cycle. I really don't think your sand is the prob. Are you using RO? have you always used RO??

 

[Jarrett]

yes i have always used RO and i did it all right away. the sand went in first and then the rocks corals and fish the next day

 

[thirty5]

if that is the case, then you have something else going on, and I think that it is not "the sand"

I would get your phos reading and work on that if it is the prob. Also what is your flow like? Maybe your flow just is not enough at the sand bed level..

 

[Jarrett]

i have a 1050 hydor on one side and a 750 of some no name brand on the other also a 750 gph return

 

[Jarrett]

regardless i want to take the sand out anyway and replace with new so as long as i do it slow i shouldnt have a problem with it. any recommendations on how to add the new sand to the tank

 

[thirty5]

just because you have the pumps does not mean you have enough flow at the sand bed. But if you want to change the sand I would take some out at a time, and then to add it you can either just try to dump it in, but it will make a mess.. or get a piece of like 1.5 inch pvc and use that as like a funnel..... Stick it into the tank to the bottom and then dump the sand into the tub this will help with the cloud and can make you be able to direct it where you want.

 

[Jarrett]

ok thanks thirty.