Disturbing sump sand bed

[UnnamedReef]

Hey everyone. I've had a 55 gallon + 20 gal sump running for ~2 years, regularly cleaned and sifted the display sand bed during water changes and conches and nassarius snails handled it in between. When I first started the tank I disturbed the sand bed a couple months in and had a few fish die, which I see is not an uncommon event. I learned from that and added sand sifters.

I'm upgrading to a 120 + 40 and wondering if I should transfer or toss my sump sand bed. It's about 2" deep in the refugium, coarse grit, never been disturbed. I'd like to avoid whatever got released last time, but if there's biological goodness that's worth transferring it then I'd like to. Will be transferring all established rock over, so do you think it's worth transferring sump sand as well?

 

[Timfish]

I would save some of it as there's a lot of good biology in it. I would clean it out the sand however. Here's how I do it:

 

[BryanM]

Most sand transfers are in the 1-2 range with either cleaning the rest due to potential nuking, or replacing with new sand. But there is good beneficial bacteria in that old sand, its just that there is also some nastiness.

 

[56longroof]

Just rinse it good in old tank water.

 

[UnnamedReef]

Roger that, ill transfer it over with tank water rinse. Thanks everyone

 

[BZOFIQ]

I reused all the sand from my 180 from years ago. Washed it thoroughly, half bucket at a time.

Tank is up and running for nearly 2 years with no ugly stage.

I don't get why people dump the sand when it could be thoroughly washed and re-used.

I think we are conditioned to spend more and more on this hobby.

 

[427HISS]

I feel the same my friend. I've been out of then hobby for several years and I'm starting back up again. I'm surprised on how it's changed. Some good and more crap, like why do we need to have out carbon, chaeto and more, tumbling, rather than water going through it ? And other products in "reactors" ? To me, it's just dang funny and cost spending we don't need.