Want to change my Live Sand. Need advise on steps to take.

[Rone]

I want to go from the white to black and need to know the proper steps to take in order not have a new cycle.
The first tank that will be changed out will be my 12g Nano with 20# of new LS.
Tank has 3 fish and lots of corals and snails.

The 2nd will be a 40g with 20# new LS and 30# dry.
Tank has 4 fish, hermit crabs, snails and anemones.

 

[Aquaman_68]

thats a tough order....you have to have live black sand to start....do you have that?

 

[Rone]

thats a tough order....you have to have live black sand to start....do you have that?

Yes I do have new black LS to start both tanks.

 

[Aquaman_68]

Yes I do have new black LS to start both tanks.

now where did you get that? If you don't mind me asking....

 

[Rone]

now where did you get that? If you don't mind me asking....

From a fellow reefer here on BRS. I have got 2 unopen bags a total of 40# and 30# of dry that he removed from his tank that was only in there for about 4 weeks.
The dry will be rinsed off with RO water.

 

[Bobbofin]

Change it a little over time, siphon out a third or a quarter and replace. Do this over three or four weeks a should be all set. I replaced my sugar sand with Red Sea Reef Base over a month with no ill effects. Pistol shrimp was making a dust storm so it had to stop and it did.

 

[Rone]

Change it a little over time, siphon out a third or a quarter and replace. Do this over three or four weeks a should be all set. I replaced my sugar sand with Red Sea Reef Base over a month with no ill effects. Pistol shrimp was making a dust storm so it had to stop and it did.

The problem is I don't want the white sand to mix in with the black.

 

[Aquaman_68]

But it isn't live sand...correct? (maybe was once but isn't any longer)

 

[Reefried]

Brian I think he has two bags of live (wet) and another bag of dry

 

[Aquaman_68]

I didn't know they had bags of that live.... well....if that is the case....you need to rinse the dry sand in good clean ro a couple times & you can mix the live with the dry rinsed....Adding it to the tank can be acheived thru a large pvc pipe about 3 feet long & 3inches in diameter. (that is after you suck all the old reef sand out with a gravel cleaner.... ) Once you pour a bit down the pipe let it sit for about 5 mins before pulling the pipe up slowly to allow the sand to sift out...that will make the least clouding....after a couple times you will get the knack of how long you need to let the sand sit in the tube before lifting...

It's alot of work & make sure you plan on having at least three hours ahead of you...(min)


HTH,
B

 

[Rone]

Ok here is my update on the removal of the sand. I took all 20 corals 3 fish and snails and put them in the anemone tank for holding.(Hope the bio load doesn't jump)
I removed all water from tank with live rock and placed in bin with heat and flow.
Next came removal of old sand and cleaned up tank a bit.
Installed 20# of new live sand and introduced water and rock back to tank. Been cycled now for 24 hours.
How long should I wait before putting the fish and corals back in the tank?

 

[wrassefan]

if your sand is really live, you can put the stock back in right away....if not still live, you will cycle

 

[JohnK]

Are we talking about "live sand" sealed in a bag from the fish store?
If so, though there may be bacteria and whatnot in it, it is probably not anywhere near as diverse in critters as real live sand. I doubt that there are any worms, crustations, or pods in that bag. I would want to add it very gradually if possible to let the actual "live" get established.

Is this multiple tanks on one system? If so, I would probably change out one tank, then let a while go by (like 6 months) before changing the other tank. Otherwise, I can't think of a way to innoculate the new black sand without mixing in at least some of the old sand.

 

[Rone]

I installed a new bag of live sand that was sealed in the nano tank saving all but about 2.5 gallons of my water that was in there. I mixed up a small batch of water to complete the top off.
What would the waiting period be before putting the corals back in or os it ok to do it now? Also I would like to take my RBTA and put him in the nano tank.

The other tank I plan to do will be 20# of new sealed live sand and 30# of dry sand in a 40 gallon.
This tank I plan to do in the coming month.

 

[wrassefan]

IMO, if you have enough live rock, you will prob be okay even....I would test the water daily for ammonia and nitrite just incase and keep a bottle of amquel around. I would try and get a cup or 2 of live sand from another tank to help "liven" up the prepackaged sand (I don't consider it real live sand)

 

[Aquaman_68]

yeah andy hit it right...test ammonia first & right away...see how high it gets & how fast it drops...(should be within a day or two if it is really full of live bacteria as the bag states...) once the ammonia drops to undetectable you can then test for nitrites.... Which should peak & drop to undetectable within a day or two...

FME when I added any form of live sand to a new system the nitrogen cycle didn't last for more than a day...& the spike in ammonia & nitrites didn't last more than 12 hours for ea.....


HTH,
B