Okay I just have to ask..adding sand?

[bluemerle]

I just got 60lbs of live sand, how do I add it? I have that starfish in there. Do I shut down the skimmer? Do I start the skimmer afterwards (which I got a new one btw). Also if I create a sandstorm how bad will it be for the crabs and starfish or do I pull them all out?

Any help would be be apprciated it.

Christine

 

[stingythingy45]

How do you plan on adding it to the tank?
Is this loose sand from a fellow reefer or is it like LFS sand in bags?

 

[afboundguy]

I would take out a gallon or two of water and put it in a 5 gallon bucket. Then add the sand into the bucket and scoop it out with a little water in the cup and empty it as close to the sand as possible. This "should" help keep the cloudiness to a min...

Also what sized tank are you adding this too? Is it fully cycled? If you add all the sand at once you could start a recycle if you cover up all the current sand... If it is a fully cycled tank I'd add it more slowely...

 

[JohnK]

Putting the sand in a plastic bag, sinking it, then slowly pouring it out, little by little also works.

No matter what, you'll probably have a clowdy tank for a day or a few.



Is this the sealed bag kind of "live sand", or real live sand? If you got 60lbs of the off the shelf pre bagged stuff I'd suggest returning most of it and just getting dry sand. If it's real live sand (like CRA sells out of a big rubbermaid tub), then yea, good stuff

 

[bluemerle]

It's live sand from a fellow reefer in bags. It's going into my 55g. Who is CRA? nother abbreviation I don't get : )

 

[RiverReefer]

i did...

i did this just a few days ago and i took it in zip locks and sank them and poured it out slowly...turned off my power heads while pouring the sand and then let it settle and turned them back on, blew off my rocks and corals and everything was fine...

 

[bluemerle]

Yeah I did try that still got a sand storm, more patience perhaps? I'm just concerned not to bury that starfish, he's under one of the rocks, I guess he will have to move outta the way.

i did this just a few days ago and i took it in zip locks and sank them and poured it out slowly...turned off my power heads while pouring the sand and then let it settle and turned them back on, blew off my rocks and corals and everything was fine...

 

[bluemerle]

one questions was not answered, should I run the skimmer after?

Thanks again everyone for the great replies and help, it's so appreciated you have no idea.

Christine

ps: do any of you ever do this with fish in the tank? A curiousity question, told you I need to know everything..

Putting the sand in a plastic bag, sinking it, then slowly pouring it out, little by little also works.

No matter what, you'll probably have a clowdy tank for a day or a few.



Is this the sealed bag kind of "live sand", or real live sand? If you got 60lbs of the off the shelf pre bagged stuff I'd suggest returning most of it and just getting dry sand. If it's real live sand (like CRA sells out of a big rubbermaid tub), then yea, good stuff

 

[RiverReefer]

60lbs is alot of sand...i only added like 1/2 a lb. or something so...it don't see why you wouldn't run your skimmer afterwards....and when i did mine i didn't take anything out of my tank...but i only added a very small amount.

 

[bluemerle]

Thanks RR, it's pretty wet so I'm sure that's adding to the weight. I'm not going to add it all at once. I wonder if I add some today, some tomorrow etc how long the sand will stay "live". Are these the most rediculous questions you have heard or what?

60lbs is alot of sand...i only added like 1/2 a lb. or something so...it don't see why you wouldn't run your skimmer afterwards....and when i did mine i didn't take anything out of my tank...but i only added a very small amount.

 

[JayM]

if you keep in warm and tank water circulated above it, the sand will stay live indefinitely.

oh,and skim skim skim...it will help pull the really fine sand particles out...FYI, your skimmate may turn beige

 

[bluemerle]

Thanks Jay, it did exactly as you stated. Glad that's over.

oh,and skim skim skim...it will help pull the really fine sand particles out...FYI, your skimmate may turn beige

 

[JohnK]

Sorry, CRA is short for "coral reef aquarium" in seekonk Ma. Jeremy keeps a devoted tub just for real live sand.

Sand from an established tank is good. It's just the stuff that's marketed in sealed bags that's a Joke IMO.