Those who have rinsed sand

[OceanJack]

How clear do you prefer the water to get before putting the sand into your tank? I removed my sand bed and went bare bottom, I was having issues with GHA overgrowing on my sand bed along with dinos that just would not quit.

So thinking about putting sand back in the tank, things seem to have leveled up in terms of nutrients. I have rinsed this sand to where it's clear but still seeing sediment floating around, how crystal clear are you all rinsing your sand?

I don't want to deal with any other algae issues again, I believe it was related to the dirty sand bed.

 

[fishface NJ]

It running clear as your drinking water. Wash in small batches

 

[OceanJack]

It running clear as your drinking water. Wash in small batches

Boy oh boy, this is gonna take some time.

 

[W31Olds]

I'm fighting GHA on my sand bed and what I have been doing is using a cordless drill with a plastic tipped mud mixer to abrade the sand in a 5 gallon bucket. Works well and removes most of the algae.

 

[Ef4life]

Depending on how coarse the sand is you can use a pillow case or a mesh laundry bag to help rinse the sand.

 

[OceanJack]

I'm fighting GHA on my sand bed and what I have been doing is using a cordless drill with a plastic tipped mud mixer to abrade the sand in a 5 gallon bucket. Works well and removes most of the algae.

I bleached the algae and sand when I took it out of the tank. I might try this idea to rinse it further instead of using my hands

 

[OceanJack]

Depending on how coarse the sand is you can use a pillow case or a mesh laundry bag to help rinse the sand.

it's pretty course, I think it's aragonite?

 

[Üter]

never had an issue with GHA on sand. did you have enough flow?

 

[TX_REEF]

how big is the tank? If it's not massive, I'd suggest just getting new sand and save yourself the labor of washing

 

[OceanJack]

how big is the tank? If it's not massive, I'd suggest just getting new sand and save yourself the labor of washing

It's a nuvo 20, if I bought new sand. I'd still will need to wash it regardless, this was a fresh bag of caribsea live sand.

 

[exnisstech]

Just buy a new bag if sand rinse and add to the tank. No need to sanitize it and remove algae it's not like it you need a 100lbs. JMO

 

[OceanJack]

Just buy a new bag if sand rinse and add to the tank. No need to sanitize it and remove algae it's not like it you need a 100lbs. JMO

Wouldn't I just be going through the same thing as I am now? The sand is already sanitized as I bleached it, my issue was just seeing how clear does the water need to get before putting it back in. I'm assuming, I'd be starting back to step one with fresh sand?

 

[exnisstech]

There's a lot more crap (detritus) to wash out of old sand than new. Also new doesn't need to be sanitized. Nothing wrong with what your doing I just found it to be a lot more work than what it was worth when I did it.
I just put 5 or 6 inches in 5g bucket and spray it with a strong stream from a garden hose and use the stream of water to stir the sand. Then dump the floating stuff and repeat. No need to fill the bucket just a few inches of water above the sand and dump. I don't worry about it being crystal clear when the sand is stirred but I want it to be clear after it sits for few minutes and settles.

 

[Reefer Brent]

Honestly your sand probably went back to step one when you removed it. Your old sand will only add bad things(small chance of ammonia) if anything different at all. Not worth the risk to me. I would get new.

Your current biomedia in the tank should do a better job seeding the sand now so that would be a positive.