How do I move a 4inch deep sand?

[Delatedlotus]

I have a 27 year old 285gal reef tank system = 2 tanks. I am closing my car lot and have to move them home tonight. I do know how to move all and any the corals, fish and inverts. But my problem is the 4-1/2 inch deep sand bed in both tanks. Do I just dump the old sand bed back into the same tanks? Correct me if I am wrong, at that very point of adding both all stirred up sandbed (it has never been stirred up before) will it go off the charts? I am thinking it will, the phosphates, nitrates, ammonia. If so how long before I can add any corals of inverts and fish back into these tanks? Maybe one day to settle down again? I don't really know.. BUT I do have a huge diatom using diamaiouse earth, also will that help? Thank you for any advice on this I have to move them tonight..

 

[littlefoxx]

I have a 27 year old 285gal reef tank system = 2 tanks. I am closing my car lot and have to move them home tonight. I do know how to move all and any the corals, fish and inverts. But my problem is the 4-1/2 inch deep sand bed in both tanks. Do I just dump the old sand bed back into the same tanks? Correct me if I am wrong, at that very point of adding both all stirred up sandbed (it has never been stirred up before) will it go off the charts? I am thinking it will, the phosphates, nitrates, ammonia. If so how long before I can add any corals of inverts and fish back into these tanks? Maybe one day to settle down again? I don't really know.. BUT I do have a huge diatom using diamaiouse earth, also will that help? Thank you for any advice on this I have to move them tonight..

Either you rinse the hell out of that sand (super time consuming with how deep and old that sand is) or toss and get new sand. I would toss and get new sand if it were me. Not worth the risk of the crap stirring in the sand

 

[Science/G]

If when in final breakdown, you gravel washed the hell out of it, I would still only take only the top couple of inches. You're anaerobic at the bottom, methane and hydrogen sulfide. Bad!

 

[Featherweight]

Start with new sand for sure

 

[braaap]

New sand. If you were just moving the tank and refilling it then keep the old. But since you will completely mix it up when removing the sand you should throw it away.

 

[mjszos]

Take the old sand out and find the nearest dumpster.

Then buy new sand and put that in the tank.

 

[TX_REEF]

another vote for new sand here. save yourself the hassle and potential loss of livestock.

 

[Delatedlotus]

Thanks all... I am in Montana no LFS store with in 250 miles and they don't have much to begin with :( I do have over at least 8 large bags of live sand that I started with years ago. I do believe I am going to try to wash it. Just a little bit at a time and over and over. Final rinse with R/O and reuse it... Petco is my only choice here and they have only one bag, nice huh? Thank you again to all of you, maybe wish me luck.. lol A lot of work here (over time yay)!!

 

[Delatedlotus]

Should I keep some sand back to re-seed my washed sand..? Like I say about 8 to 9 large bags will be washed. So how much old sand should I use..?

 

[Hot2na]

Should I keep some sand back to re-seed my washed sand..? Like I say about 8 to 9 large bags will be washed. So how much old sand should I use..?

A handful , a core sample ...will contain plenty of bacteria to seed the new ..

 

[Delatedlotus]

A handful , a core sample ...will contain plenty of bacteria to seed the new ..

Hot2na, Sprinkle it or make a small pile centralized..?

 

[Hot2na]

Hot2na, Sprinkle it or make a small pile centralized..?

Either is fine...

 

[Dburr1014]

Wow, I'm late to the party. How did it go?

Back story, I was into the DSB years ago and had to move my tank, well, actually upgraded. (100g to rr90g) Tank was going into the same spot. All I did was empty the livestock, emptied the water, bucketed out the sand. Moved tanks and dumped the sand back in and water. No, I didn't rinse it at all. Yes, it did have a sulfur smell to it. (used some new water cuz livestock was still in buckets) low and behold, in 2 days I got zero ammonia reading and dumped the livestock back in. No losses.

Just my story, not saying it's right or wrong.
I am saying nature is amazing sometimes.

 

[vlangel]

I also broke down a 10 yr old 90g tank with a deep sandbed. It did not even smell like sulfur, more like the beach. I was downsizing so washed some of the sand for the new builds DSB and added the top layer of the 90g to the top layer of the 36g. It worked fine with barely any cycle.

 

[Ryan - Serious Reefs]

I’m sure this isn’t what you want to hear but reusing sand is a ultra high risk maneuver. Nearly everyone I’ve met that has done this regrets it. “Nearly” might even 100% because I can’t think of anyone who was happy about it. Sadly this goes quadruple so for a deep sand bed.

If cost dictated that I had to save it I would coil a garden hose in a 5g bucket, fill it half way with sand and turn the house on . This will turn the sand over and clean it for you. Do this until the water runs clear and you are concise t it is safe.

 

[jguerin88]

new sand or go bare bottom