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4angel

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Hi folks I am in the process of moving. I will be transferring the bulk of my 40 brd into a 39 gallon rubber maid like container. I was wondering that perhaps now would be a good time to place some additioal new sand. I never had a deep sand bed so if I do decide to place lets say 25lb of ESV sand in addition to what I already have after rinsing should I just dump over the existing bed or is there a technique.?
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Anonymous

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I would add some saltwater to the new dry (you are adding dry sand, aren't you) then put the new wet sand on top of the old sand. You can use the funnel/PVC tube method if your need to minimize the cloudy sand storm that will happen if you just dump it in.

Are you re-setting up your system and all corals and fish will be in the tank when the sand is added, ortcan you add the sand, wait a couple of days, the add the livestock?

Give us more details about your move.

Louey
 

4angel

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The tank will be just about empty when I move except for the current layer of sand that will be covered with just that much amount of water. The sand is dry. I was going to rinse and then dump. My concern is burring the exciting bacteria and weather this may have any adverse affects.
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Anonymous

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The bacteria will be fine. I wouldn't rinse the sand. The fine sediment is beneficial and would be lost if you rinse it.

Will your livestock be in the tank when you add the sand?

Louey
 

Newts

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As Louey said I wouldn't rinse the new sand,but I was thinking it would be better to remove the existing sand put the new sand down first than put the old sand on top of the new.That way any creatures in the old sand wouldn't get buried.As far as there being two colors of sand I wouldn't worry it will all blend together within a day or three.
 

4angel

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WWwwwooo No rinsing!? I'm floored( forgive me). I have always heard of folks rinsing stirring and getting rid of the fine stuff. As for stirring up the bottom would this kick up some NH3. This is pretty new and radical thinking for me. I was planning to move all live stock rock included into the rubber maid. heater power heads. I was hoping not to keep everything in the dark to long.
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Anonymous

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I would put the new sand in saltwater ASAP. So it's good and wet. Add it to the tank at your new place. When you add you water back into the tank, lay a towel over the sand so to prevent stirring it up to much. That worked for me when I moved recently. Only difference is I was not adding new sand. My tank cleared up really quick.

I left my LS in coolers for 2 days. Lost one clam. Dammit!

Louey
 

Newts

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If you just cover up the existing sand your going to kill off the bacteria by burying it.Than your sand is going to have to re-establish itself.Maybe if you just use enough of the old sand on top to seed it real good you won't end up with high NH3,maybe just a little spike that way also you keep the new sand from blowing around and clouding up the tank at first.I never rinse the new sand,if you've read some articles from people like Dr.Ron Shemik he states that the finer grains are good mixed in with the larger grains of sand.
 

4angel

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How long would you recommend soaking the sand.? I was planning a water change this weekend I will be in the new place beginning of the year. I can use the H2O that I remove from the tank for soaking the sand or should I just add some fresh non tap for this process.?.
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Anonymous

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Perfect. Put only tankwater on the new sand. No freshwater at all. Go ahead a seed the new sand with a little bit of your exisiting sand. The bacteria can begin to colonize now. Toss a little piece of shrimp in there to give the sand something to process. Now you will be adding LS to your tank after the first of the year.

Louey
 

4angel

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So in retrospect what I'm doing is
A)Soak the dead sand with water that I remove from my tank,take some of the existing LS and place in the same bucket There by colonizing the sand with bacteria.
B) When I am ready to add the sand to the tank perhaps slide sand in tank to the side place the sand I had soaking, then slide some of the old stuff over the new.
C) before I place H2O back in the tank cover the sand somehow maybe w/plastic bag. (I'm afraid of PO that maybe in towels) keeping the dust down. Let me know if I'm missing a step here fellas.
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There ya go! The only other thing is someway to aerate the water that the new sand is in. Power head, airstone, something like that.

I'd put the new sand on top if it were me. I've heard that disrupting an existing sandbed can be bad.

Louey
 

Reef Guy11

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Hey there everyone when i moved from the bay area to Palm Springs i setted up a 135 and transfer my 90 gal down had my mom bring me 2 bags of live sand that i added frist to the 135 when i got there then took the old sand out of the 90 gal and placed it in the 135 on top of the new sand it is fine i lost only one fish that day and that was a Pacific Blue Tang that didn't survive the transport. :D
 

Vixyswillie

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Trash bags have worked very well for me for this purpose. Buy the cheapest ones you can find that come in a roll. After you place the sand in the bottom of the bare tank, unroll the bags so they cover the length of the tank, up the ends, and hang over the edges a bit. Don't tear them apart - just unfold them to cover the entire sandbed. Slowly pump water on top of the bags, in the center. They'll start to float up, which is fine - just keep pumping water slowly on top of them until you reach the desired level. Then carefully remove the bags, skim off any residual sand scum from the water surface, add your LR and livestock - and you're done. Works like a charm - with minimal sandstorm. :)

Here's a pic...


PICT0004.JPG
 

Vixyswillie

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4Angel":17ld18g0 said:
Thanks Vix the photo really help. I assume you did not rinse out the sand either.?

Welcome - glad I saved it! :D And nope - I didn't rinse mine out, either. That's SD sand in the pic, and using this method, my water was crystal clear the next morning.
 

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