Bad sand......need help

[kosey929]

The sand I got for my new 29 gallon reef tank is poopy. It is too fine and if it gets disturbed it clouds the water. I already have LR, a couple of fish and some corals in the tank, but I don't think this sand is going to work out for the long term. What can I do? Would putting a layer of coarser grain sand on top work? Or....do I have to remove the sand and replace it with new?

Thanks,
Karen

p.s. I was soooo excited when I got the sand....what a disappointment. :anxious

 

[Jennie]

Karen

I've used the same sand you are mentioning and remember wondering the same thing. Before I knew it the clean up crew packed it down enough that it no longer could be 'disturbed' quiet so easily.

HTH

 

[kosey929]

Karen

I've used the same sand you are mentioning and remember wondering the same thing. Before I knew it the clean up crew packed it down enough that it no longer could be 'disturbed' quiet so easily.

HTH

What did you have for a cleanup crew? I added a zebra barred dartfish which loves to dig in the sand and it instantly clouds the tank. Also, I got my refugium a couple about 4-5 days ago and the sand is always getting stirred up by the flow. I thought flow was a good thing....could I possibly have too much flow?????

Thanks for your help,
Karen[/i]

 

[Jennie]

I had hermits, snails, varias worms, etc.


The sand is easily disturbed by the flow due to it is still loose. The finer the grain, the longer it will be suspended in the water column. When the critters start to inhibit the sandbed it will help to pack it down alittle.

Dartfish IMO can cause you a bit of upset with the fine sand at this point. Even when it gets packed down the fish will still dig, it will do that with courser sand as well.

 

[Anonymous]

i think i would replace - that fine sand is not the best choice in high flow tanks, and tanks with sand bed fish like your jaw fish. the best sand has a mix of particle sizes - none too small or too big. even if it does clean up some and settle down some, anything you put on the sand bed will be at risk of being burried. i prefer dry sand - it is cheaper, and has less chance of bugs/parasites - and the rock will seed it in no time

 

[drty811]

i had the same problem before, but i just didnt rinse it enough. the stuff i bought had alot of dust and fine particles in it. maybe thats what i happening with your sand??????? whatever you end up doing, hope everything goes well.

 

[chacha]

If it is the kind of sand I am thinking of, and DRTY is referring to, you just need to rinse it realy well. If your tank is not to far along or established just solve the problem now, don't wait for it to go away. I know it is a pain but always worth it.

 

[TimSchmidt]

I vote to replace with coarser sand...

 

[kosey929]

i think i would replace - that fine sand is not the best choice in high flow tanks, and tanks with sand bed fish like your jaw fish. the best sand has a mix of particle sizes - none too small or too big. even if it does clean up some and settle down some, anything you put on the sand bed will be at risk of being burried. i prefer dry sand - it is cheaper, and has less chance of bugs/parasites - and the rock will seed it in no time

At this point, I only have a clean up crew (hermits & snails), two fish (chromis & zebra barred goby) and a half dozen unattached corals. I picked the goby because I decided to leave the jawfish where he is and I like digging fish. So the sand is going to have to go.....

Is there any reason I couldn't move my critters, LR and corals into one of those big rubbermaid-type clear plastic storage bins with a heater and the existing tank water for the time it would take (2-3 hrs. max) to switch the sand out? Then put part of the water in and let it settle for a while before putting in the LR, critters and coral followed by the remaining water? I would think this would be the least traumatic way to do it, and....since I would be using dry sand it shouldn't affect another cycle. Right??

The sand I have now was wet when I received it and came with very specific instructions which did not include rinsing. There was reference to possible clouding. I figured it would only be temporary until it settled. Which it did....until I added the refugium. It seems it's alway a little cloudy since that addition.

Guess I have a weekend project!

Karen

:lol:

 

[mikeguerrero]

Karen,

What is the brand of sand your purchased? Chances are that you purchased live sand which is extremely important to your nitrification process, do not remove it from your tank if you have had it in there for more than one week.

Taking it out could cause an ammonia swing to kick in and kill your animals.

The cloudiness is normal and you are never suppose to rinse live sand, just add it in and let it take its course. In about 15 to 20 days depending on the curing of your live rock your water should be crystal clear.

Over time weeks and weeks the sand will take a newer form, in that the top layer is more resistant to water currents in your tank. In other words you will not have the fine sand particles floating all over the place.

I'm going through the same process in my 72 bowfront; the sand kicks up on my rocks but I know that with time it will blossom.

Be patient and you will see that tank come alive...

Hope this helps you out...

MG

 

[JeffDubya]

I am going to post a question here, although I hope no one sees this as a hijack and gets offended. If so, feel free to split.

So, when I started keeping reef tanks again after a 10+ year hiatus, I brought some of my old school techniques with me. 4 months later I have a successful tank, thanks mainly to this site and my local fish club. However, if I could change any one thing, it would be the coarse crushed coral substrate I used when I put together this tank.

I read all the time about aquarists switching out their deep sand bed because of accumulation of heavy metals (e.g. copper) and I don't quite understand how they do this without messing with the water quality of the tank. I also don't know if this must be done by removing everything first, replacing the sand, and then replacing everything - or by doing a section at a time, taking out as much as possible and the just covering up the old stuff.

I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to replace my crushed coral with a 2-3 inch sand bed. I currently have about 55 lbs of live rock with fish, inverts, zoos and LPS.

I had considered getting some aragonite, doing a water change... taking the old water and soaking the new sand in that, then taking the old substrate out a little at a time.

I'd love to hear thoughts about this.

 

[kosey929]

What is the brand of sand your purchased? Chances are that you purchased live sand which is extremely important to your nitrification process, do not remove it from your tank if you have had it in there for more than one week.

Taking it out could cause an ammonia swing to kick in and kill your animals.

The cloudiness is normal and you are never suppose to rinse live sand, just add it in and let it take its course. In about 15 to 20 days depending on the curing of your live rock your water should be crystal clear.

Over time weeks and weeks the sand will take a newer form, in that the top layer is more resistant to water currents in your tank. In other words you will not have the fine sand particles floating all over the place.

The sand is live sand I bought off of ebay, and it has been in the tank for a few weeks now. It sounds like it may not be worth the risk to take it out at this point...at least not if it could cause an ammonia spike.

Actually, since my fuge has been running consistently for the last few days, the sand does seem to be settling down, but it still has the tendency to cloud up when disturbed.

I will give it some more time since I am seeing some improvement and don't want to risk an ammonia spike.

Thanks, Mike!

Karen

 

[mikeguerrero]

You made the right move Karen... Don't touch that sand.... You will see it become stable with time....

MG

 

[kosey929]

I guess I need to be more patient. The sand is packing down quite nicely now. Even when it gets stirred up it doesn't cloud the tank nearly as bad as it did at first. Still not perfect, but better every day. I really didn't relish the thought of switching sand. Yuck!

I'll post pictures when I feel the tank is "presentable" enough for all y'all.

Karen :mrgreen:

 

[drty811]

glad to hear everything worked out. dont keep us waiting to long, dont be shy, pics are always appreciated.