Adding substrate

[Jasonnew2reefing]

Want to add about another inch of live sand to my tank that has been running sense November any suggestions or techniques

 

[cromag27]

If it's dry, rinse it. then scoop it up with a cup and put the cup in your tank. pour out of the cup as close to the existing sand as possible.

 

[Jasonnew2reefing]

It will be wet live sand

 

[cromag27]

Same deal with the cup then. no rinsing.

 

[Jasonnew2reefing]

Will it mess up my live bacteria by adding new?? Like adding more live rock would do

 

[cromag27]

Is this brand new sand?

 

[cmcoker]

You can do it this way http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.php/57-How-to-add-sand-to-an-existing-reef-tank

 

[brandon429]

You can rinse your live sand, as rinsing isn't antibacterial in nature on abrasive surfaces like calcium carbonate structures of the reef will be. incidental floc is removed, critical bacteria stick.

We rinse it to get the initial clouding out, bacteria are not factored

Adding live rock either imports more bacteria or the new surfaces are inert and present new vital space for existing bacteria to multiply

Aquarists ascribe all manner of bacterial control to themselves they don't have unless we are talking meds, extreme temps, and drying of surfaces.

Classic response to pre rinsing live sand:

It's live, if you rinse it then it will not be. Ask someone who runs a bacteria lab in food science as a living if they agree to that.

I've bought fiji pink live sand about twenty different times and guess how many pods, worms, and shrimps and moving rinsable animals I got in the bags. Literally not any in 16 years


We wish bacteria on actual surfaces like hospitals and food prep areas were as weak as they are stated to be in aquarium forums. We would simply squirt the surfaces with saltwater and be sterile/autoclave schmatoclave.


The main liability here is capping filthy bottom sand with a fresh new layer of clean. The bottom sand if tested from a bottom muddy layer might read much higher in nitrate and phosphate than the top water. If not, cap away.

 

[john.m.cole3]

hehe schmatoclave...