Adding new unused sand to tank

C

Catfishd

[I do not have a thick sand bed. I do not want a 6inch + cause I just dont had problems in the past. My bed now is 2 inch and I would like to add another inch if that to the bed. I have the sand just not sure how I can do this without totally sending my tank into spaz. I thought about doing a bowl at a time and rinsing it with RO water. But then again I feel if I do that I loose alot of good trace elements and nutrients. Anyone have any suggestions other then doing small quantities at a time? The reason being 1 inch in my tank is gonna be like 3 bags minimum. Mark I know you have added or know a way to add some without clouding my tank for days :taz:]



Edited By Catfishd on 1098071552
 
[Are you going to use Southdown (or the LFS version) sand?

What nutrients or trace elements could you possibly lose rinsing new sand? It should be just sand, and rinsing the smaller particulates away can work.

There are various methods of adding sand to the tank. You have a few choices. I think adding a little bit each day might be ideal, because you won't bury your microfauna that is in the upper .5" of your current substrate.

You could lower in the sand in a 1g ziplock bag, then very gently release this with your pumps off.

Another way some have added sand was to use a longer piece of PVC pipe (2" dia) with a funnel at the top end. Pouring the sand down the pipe, you can control where it pours out. To slow the flow, simply press the pipe into your substrate, then lift slowly to allow it to flow out.

Recently there have been some posts about curing the sand in advance, like in a large rubbermade tube with power heads, a heater and saltwater. After a few weeks, take this sand and add it to your tank and you will have less clouding.

Even if your tank does get cloudy, with plenty of LR it tends to clear up within a few hours (3 to 8).]
 
[I've read that a 3" sand bed is asking for trouble. To shallow to be properly anerobic and to shallow to be properly aerobic (sp)]
 
[Use the Caribsea Aragalive or whatever its called.

The stuff in a bag with water, sold as live sand.

I dont know if their is any real "live sand" benefit to it, but it is thoroughly rinsed and will greatly reduce the cloud your going to get adding sand to an established tank.

I added two bags to mine when it was a couple of months old to fill in some shallow spots, it was clear in a couple of days. (I didnt have much of anything in there at that time though)]
 
[Agree with Mark, go deep (at least 4") or shallow (2" or less) but in between is not good.

Why are you adding? If it is just to get some fresh sand then vacuum out like the top 1/2" or less then add the new sand (again 1/2" or less) Just remember whatever you do don't add or take out more than 1/2" every couple weeks or your asking for major problems! A light coating everyday or every other day as Marc suggested would be ideal. The more you put in at one time the more risk you have of killing off stuff in the upper layer causing a massive nutrient spike and all the problems that follow it!

As Marc stated rinsing won't do anything to harm "non-live" sand. It's a matter of preference if you want the superfine grade particles in your tank. The reason most people rinse it is to avoid the "sandstorm those particles cause for a few days. I have never rinsed it. I just dump it in. It clears up pretty quickly if you place it carefully in the tank.]
 
[One trick you can do is to put it in those plastic grocery sacks and sinkk them. then turn the bags over and slowly pour the sand out. This is with the pumps off of course..I dont think the fish care for the sand storms,, especially if you have added fish that were wild caught using cyonide. It takes those guys a long time to recover from that 100%]
 
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