Switch sand bed, hurt sps??

[ddpham]

I have decided to switch my sand from Fiji pink to Tropic Eden reeflake, do I need to seed the new sand? Or can i just suck up the old sand during water change and the new one? Will it hurt my sps? I have around 30 frags of sps. Decided to go with tropic Eden so I can turn my vortechs higher. Also what is the best way to switch out the sand?

Tank: 78 custom rimless with 40 gal breeder sump
Light: ati power module with 80w of led for supplement
Skimmer: itech 200
Pump: 2 np40es and tunze nano wavebox

Parameter
Cal: 420. Dose 7ml a day with brs 2 part
Alk: 8 dkh dose 7 ml a day
Top of with very diluted (1/10 of recommended dose) and RODI
Mag: 1350 add 10 mil of brs mag dilution every 3 weeks when water change.

 

[florida reef]

I've never done a sand bed change but some issues I would consider are stirring up a lot of detritus and causing nutrient spikes. Also, possibly covering frags with sand and not realizing it until they are dead/dying.
I would just suction out sand as I do water changes and slowly replace it. It's gonna be messy and cloudy but if that's what you want, go for it.

 

[ddpham]

That's sound very logical, I might have to try that

 

[brahm]

Ya depending on how old your sand bed is and how often you currently mix it up. It could be an issue. I wouldn't worry about reseeding the new sand, but you may end up with a mini cycle depending on what's on the new sand you use that breaks down when you add it.

I would remove it as flordia reef advises. I would add it back in slowly so you don't start a mini cycle.

 

[ddpham]

I will try to removed 1/3 every water change n add slowly. I will add 1/3 of new sand every water changed. My tank is 4-5 months old. 1 inch sandbed

 

[btkrausen]

Additionally, your sand bed is likely providing some type of biological filtration for you, so doing it in thirds will give the new sand time to turn into 'live' sand.

 

[rossco]

Do you have room in your sump where you could add a small amount at a time until it is all in, let it age, and then switch it out?

 

[soccerbag]

I agree with the above. I did mine 1/3 at a time and it worked well. Still went through a small cycle though but it showed itself in more of a cyano bloom than anything else. I did not lose any of my SPS. The best way to get the old sand out of there (while doing a water change) is a piece of 1/" or 3/4" tubing. Throw it on the sandbed and it will suction it out very quickly and with little mess to the rest of the tank.

Best to make a few smaller changes than to shock a system with one BIG filtration change.

 

[ddpham]

thank you all. I m going o suck 1/3 of sand every time water change. Put 1/6 of sand in a small shallow acrylic container and put inside the sump, refugium. That way it seed the new sand and after it seed I will put it in a corner of my display tank where the 1/3 of the old sand has been taken out. And repeat until it all the sand switch it out. Does that sounds ok??? Once again thank you all.

 

[soccerbag]

That sounds good. And some of the old sand will inevitably mix with the new during this process which should also help in seeding the new sand. Sounds like a good plan. Go for it and let us know how it works out.

 

[ddpham]

Thank you Craig, I will go for it when new sand come home. By the way Tropic Eden reefflake price just went up again. Last year was 30 for 30lb now is 38 for 30lb.