Adding sand to established tank?

[Mandrew559]

Hey yall
I have a barebottom redsea reefer, around a year old. Running this one barebottom but now I want to add sand....any issue with jus adding it after rinse? Covering up algae lead to any issues? Thanks!

 

[PeterC99]

Very simple to add sand. Get 2 inch pvc pipe depth of your tank. Pour sand into funnel through pvc pipe to bottom of tank. Slowly lift pvc pipe to let sand disperse.

Don‘t rinse sand if using live sand. Will get some cloudiness but settles quickly.

Don‘t know about covering algae issue. What type of algae do you have. Any pics?

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Very simple to add sand. Get 2 inch pvc pipe depth of your tank. Pour sand into funnel through pvc pipe to bottom of tank. Slowly lift pvc pipe to let sand disperse.

Don‘t rinse sand if using live sand. Will get some cloudiness but settles quickly.

Don‘t know about covering algae issue. What type of algae do you have. Any pics?

<That about covers it!

 

[KrisReef]

Covering algae will smother it.

 

[mindme]

Very simple to add sand. Get 2 inch pvc pipe depth of your tank. Pour sand into funnel through pvc pipe to bottom of tank. Slowly lift pvc pipe to let sand disperse.

Don‘t rinse sand if using live sand. Will get some cloudiness but settles quickly.

Don‘t know about covering algae issue. What type of algae do you have. Any pics?

Make sure you get Carribsea special grade. Or bigger grains. You don't want those fine grains, they will blow over everything and stick to your rocks like static electricity. Wouldn't want you hating sand right away, and you likely would if you have medium or higher flow.

You can get it without it being live sand also,. In which case you would want to rinse it.

 

[Mandrew559]

I'm getting some random diatoms looks like. I run minimum rock work and my nitrates are high. So I'm gba try to sand again if I'm gna be cleaning the bottom anyway

 

[Mandrew559]

Very simple to add sand. Get 2 inch pvc pipe depth of your tank. Pour sand into funnel through pvc pipe to bottom of tank. Slowly lift pvc pipe to let sand disperse.

Don‘t rinse sand if using live sand. Will get some cloudiness but settles quickly.

Don‘t know about covering algae issue. What type of algae do you have. Any pics?

You don't think I should rinse special grade in r/o? I always have, stuff comes pretty cloudy. I have a pretty stocked tank lol idk if I want the dust

 

[mindme]

I'm getting some random diatoms looks like. I run minimum rock work and my nitrates are high. So I'm gba try to sand again if I'm gna be cleaning the bottom anyway

You can also add some of those bio bricks for extra bacteria surface. I have NSA on my 180g tank and only about 90lbs of dry rock in the DT, so I added some bio bricks down in the sump to make up for it. I have sand also.

 

[mindme]

You don't think I should rinse special grade in r/o? I always have, stuff comes pretty cloudy. I have a pretty stocked tank lol idk if I want the dust

You'll probably wash away or kill bacteria. I bought it as dry sand on my 180g and rinsed it. I seeded that tank with microbactor start XLM which says not to use it with live sand.

Aragonite Special Grade Dry Sand 40lbs

Natural Perfection with CaribSea's Special Grade Reef Sand Ideal for both new setups and additions to existing tanks, this 40lb bag offers a cost-effective alternative to live sand. The dry nature of CaribSea's sand allows for pre-rinsing to remove dust, ensuring a clear view in your aquarium...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[Tcook]

Doesn't the special grade just contain bacteria and no "critters "‽ I just added mine without rinsing.

 

[PeterC99]

You don't think I should rinse special grade in r/o? I always have, stuff comes pretty cloudy. I have a pretty stocked tank lol idk if I want the dust

Recommend Live Sand. Great help with nitrates. Don’t wash live sand. I backfilled with NOT rinsed live sand. Cloudiness cleared up within 2 hours.

 

[brandon429]

Do wash bagged live sand. Always

look at our fifty pages of wash outcomes

look at first five links from non washers thats your risk:

Official Sand Rinse and Tank Transfer thread

If you are reading this thread to cure a tank invasion from a link I sent you, we do not need to identify your type of invasion here we do not need you to test anything at anytime regarding nitrate, phosphate etc Above all, we do not need to see a microscope slide picture of your invasion at...

www.reef2reef.com

there is only one kind of sand you don’t rinse, KP aquatics live sand. All others you rinse in tap, then ro at the end.

nobody can say the cloud will clear in three days when we have fifteen links on page one showing total wrecks in some systems. You wash it to have the outcomes shown on the rest of the works, happy reefers for pages.

 

[brandon429]

Also handy to spot: how many times above did we run low on bacteria and how many times did we buy bacteria to add for cycling to these already cycled tanks

reef lesson nine: once a tank is cycled, don’t ever add cycling bac again. this is something pros do not do unless they’re trying to sell you bottle bac, peers relay this info to peers purely because it’s a made up need + solution for peace of mind.


it’s not actuality though, we show.

 

[PeterC99]

Do wash bagged live sand. Always

look at our fifty pages of wash outcomes

look at first five links from non washers thats your risk:

Official Sand Rinse and Tank Transfer thread

If you are reading this thread to cure a tank invasion from a link I sent you, we do not need to identify your type of invasion here we do not need you to test anything at anytime regarding nitrate, phosphate etc Above all, we do not need to see a microscope slide picture of your invasion at...

www.reef2reef.com

there is only one kind of sand you don’t rinse, KP aquatics live sand. All others you rinse in tap, then ro at the end.

nobody can say the cloud will clear in three days when we have fifteen links on page one showing total wrecks in some systems. You wash it to have the outcomes shown on the rest of the works, happy reefers for pages.

Buy the prewashed sand and avoid the rinsing.

 

[brandon429]

Link us where there is pre washed sand we truly want to see it and link it in our thread. Tap washing takes hours and wastes tap even though we still do it to effect total control in the reef

who is actually selling clean sand, gotta know, we’ve been waiting years


its nobody from caribsea that’s for sure

whoever invents truly cloudless sand no pre rinse needed will be on the cusp of greatness lol agreed. I heard reef flakes is good about no cloud but caribsea still rules the roost in purchase frequency for builders.

 

[PeterC99]

Link us where there is pre washed sand we truly want to see it and link it in our thread. Tap washing takes hours and wastes tap even though we still do it to effect total control in the reef

who is actually selling clean sand, gotta know, we’ve been waiting years


its nobody from caribsea that’s for sure

whoever invents truly cloudless sand no pre rinse needed will be on the cusp of greatness lol agreed. I heard reef flakes is good about no cloud but caribsea still rules the roost in purchase frequency for builders.

Are you telling me that the vendors are not telling the truth?

Live Sand for Saltwater Aquariums

Free Shipping! Aquarium live sand helps to create an eye-catching reef tank but also provides necessary live bacteria to help quickly cycle your tank.

www.marinedepot.com

"Our pre-washed Super Naturals™ are designed with your success, and ease of use in mind. "

 

[brandon429]

consider page one examples above post #12



read first post and the fifteen non rinsers outcome right on file


do they seem to be telling the truth after that context

We had to make a large thread because 40% turns out to be a massive number of reefs who needed a better rule set.

 

[brandon429]

Regarding the label vs the truth: settling over time probably makes it worse, I bet it leaves the bag facility much cleaner.


either way, caribsea missed sending any QA techs to homes buying bags from pet stores and the massive mess that happens about 40% of the time, enough to cause pure fear in many folks, we linked with years of hard work all in one thread


ps: they may have mislead us on bacteria being added at all. We had it tested, showed inert. I too got that wrong for years I assumed anything wet would have some bac

aquabiomics runs a neat dna testing lab for reef surfaces

and ocean direct was disappointing after the survey, ask AB for input details if needed on that part.

 

[PeterC99]

Regarding the label vs the truth: settling over time probably makes it worse, I bet it leaves the bag facility much cleaner.


either way, caribsea missed sending any QA techs to homes buying bags from pet stores and the massive mess that happens about 40% of the time, enough to cause pure fear in many folks, we linked with years of hard work all in one thread


ps: they may have mislead us on bacteria being added at all. We had it tested, showed inert. I too got that wrong for years I assumed anything wet would have some bac

aquabiomics runs a neat dna testing lab for reef surfaces

and ocean direct was disappointing after the survey, ask AB for input details if needed on that part.

Wow - very educational! I took the vendors at their word and read reviews (which can be slanted). Might just go bare bottom next go round...

 

[Mandrew559]

Do wash bagged live sand. Always

look at our fifty pages of wash outcomes

look at first five links from non washers thats your risk:

Official Sand Rinse and Tank Transfer thread

If you are reading this thread to cure a tank invasion from a link I sent you, we do not need to identify your type of invasion here we do not need you to test anything at anytime regarding nitrate, phosphate etc Above all, we do not need to see a microscope slide picture of your invasion at...

www.reef2reef.com

there is only one kind of sand you don’t rinse, KP aquatics live sand. All others you rinse in tap, then ro at the end.

nobody can say the cloud will clear in three days when we have fifteen links on page one showing total wrecks in some systems. You wash it to have the outcomes shown on the rest of the works, happy reefers for pages.

So your saying to wash brand new caribsea is tap then ro? U see any side effects adding sand first time to an already established bare bottom