changing/adding sand (live and not)

[Roach]

1.) As long as you add the sand slowly it shouldn't really be a problem. Just make sure to blow off your corals later in the day.

2.)Live sand is fine to add. I have done it many times with existing tanks.

3.)I used two 20 lb bags of live sand in my old tank and when I scooped out the sand for the new tank there were tons of worms in it, some about 3 inches long.

4.)Yeah I think you can move the existing subtrate. Just do a little at a time-maybe a few pounds an hour.

5.)You can do this but eventually the coarse sand will make it's way to the top of your sand bed. This won't really hurt anything but it may not be what you want to see.

6.)My sand bed is all fine sand and it is probably 4-5" deep. It's all preference really,

 

[obie]

I think I need to add some sand to my tank. Its a 2 month 75G established tank has 90 lbs live rock, and about a 2" bed of mixed grain sand. I think I made a mistake in my choice of substrate and would like to correct before the tank gets too established. I think I need a majority of sugar sized sand (currently its a mix of aragonite 1+ mm. Its texture is pretty course compared to what I have read is best for living substrate organisms.

Questions:
1) Will adding sand create a risk to what is in the tank now?
2) Can I add live sand at this stage still? Or is it a risk to my current organisms?
3) I understand that I should have worms in my substrate - will live sand establish this? If not, how do they get there?
4) Can I remove some of the substrate that is there now without losing anything essential?
5) Can I layer the sugar sand right over the more coarse stuff?
6) How deep should I make it? I probably wouldn't move my live rock - just pour around it. I would use the pvc pipe/funnel or plastic bag method.


Thank you so much for any reply.

Jeff