Sand swap-out - best methods?

S

Spar

Premium Member
So, with the purchase of two MP60's, my sand bed has seen its last day. Hard to believe in so much water content that this is the case. Good powerheads!

I am going to switch out to some heavier sand. Someone was recommending Tropic Eden Reeflakes Aragonite Sand recently. Any other recommendations if I am looking for a natural look that will not get swished around in the current?

Any advice for switching out the sand safely? I don't want to cause ammonia build up or remove too many good critters in the old sand.

Thoughts?
 
No easy way to do it just vacuum it
up during a water change and add prime to water


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I think you could just suck it out with tubing and replace it using the Baggie method. Trick is to do it to just a small small portion at a time. Maybe like a quart Baggie at a time. Then it will grow some bacteria etc while you wait for the next swap. Maybe a couple baggies a week?
 
Your tank isn't that old. A year, right? Siphon it all out and replace it with new bagged sand like T.E. Reeflakes. Love that sand. Get some of their live sand too.
 
Switched out the sand, went pretty well but took forever!

The new sand is a big improvement, but it still gets pushed around by my MP60's. Not near to the extent as my old sand, and I can just rake it back into place every now and then without clouding up the water. I am going to stick with this sand, but just an FYI to anyone researching sand choices when running MP60's; there doesn't seem to be much that they don't blow around.
 
Caribsea Seafloor Special Grade Reef Sand. I really like it. It isn't too course for sand sifters, doesn't blow around, and it drops and settles fast.
 
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