Clean old sandbed and add new sand method

[mushy coral]

I have a thin sandbed about 1inches in my tank for more than 8 months. Added a few conches into the tank for stirring sand about 2-3 months ago as ive never clean the sandbed before. Now i want to add in sand dwelling wrasse so im planning to add in new sand. The new sand will be carefully rinse and then dry under sunlight. My concern is the old sandbed. If the wrasse dive deep and reach the old layer of sand, will it harm the wrasse cause as far as i know if not cleaned the sand bed will trap detritus and toxic gas under.

 

[Gumbies R Us]

If you want to add new sand, I would remove the old sand first, then replace it with the new sand.

 

[Project1004]

Your sandbed is fairly new and pretty shallow.

My sand bed doesn’t get siphon and it does trap detritus but toxic gas would need pretty deep sandbed.

I have black leopard wrasses in a 48G with about an 1inch to 3-4” in the back and he has no issues from sand not being cleaned.

With my sleeper goby (my most recent addition), they creat sandstorm time to time which I prefer.

You didn’t mention of water changes but you can always syphon out the “sections” when doing water changes. Which I do once in a blue moon. Water changes (10%) are every 2 weeks.

 

[mushy coral]

If you want to add new sand, I would remove the old sand first, then replace it with the new sand.

What i plan to do is to add another layer of new sand on top of the old sand but not remove all the old sandbed

 

[mushy coral]

Your sandbed is fairly new and pretty shallow.

My sand bed doesn’t get siphon and it does trap detritus but toxic gas would need pretty deep sandbed.

I have black leopard wrasses in a 48G with about an 1inch to 3-4” in the back and he has no issues from sand not being cleaned.

With my sleeper goby (my most recent addition), they creat sandstorm time to time which I prefer.

You didn’t mention of water changes but you can always syphon out the “sections” when doing water changes. Which I do once in a blue moon. Water changes (10%) are every 2 weeks.

I do 10-15% wc a week but never touch the sand. Is it ok for the wrasse if i add the new sand on top of the old sand. And if i have to clean it in order to keep the wrasse then should i clean it by stir a small section each time and then mix in new sand at that section everytime i do wc

 

[Project1004]

I do 10-15% wc a week but never touch the sand. Is it ok for the wrasse if i add the new sand on top of the old sand. And if i have to clean it in order to keep the wrasse then should i clean it by stir a small section each time and then mix in new sand at that section everytime i do wc

I think extra layer of sand is okay. If necessary, add little amount whenever you do the water changes in section.

I went and checked my tank and it’s not 3-4” in the back. It’s little over an inche. It’s less than 1/4” in front. I have considered adding alot more sand to have engineer goby (lost 3 times and I think deep sand bed would have been ideal) and if I do, I’ll just add more sand to my existing sand bed.