Can I replace all my sand?!?!

[Ed Hutchings]

Thanks for the info! And since I will be changing sand color, any suggestions on how I can keep them separate in the tank while I’m slowly replacing? I would rather not have light sand with black specs in it.

Keep them separated as best as possible. Build up your existing substrate on one side and the new on the other. The important thing is to do something like this without disturbing the balance as much as possible. What's more important, not having a few black specs in your white substrate, or insuring the stability of the ecosystem you've agreed to carefully manage?

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Hey,

Just chiming in with my experience. I pulled 10 year old gravel from my 180 and put 120# of Fiji pink in 5 hours. I did it to help combat Dino. I did not have a lot of the more delicate coral, but my fish stayed in the tank the whole time and I only drained 1/2 of the water. No problems or mini cycles. I did rinse the heck out of the sand I put in. Within 48 hours clear with no ill affects.

@brandon429 has great thread, I saw him stop by but edited it. Check out his thread.