Turtle's Deep Blue Sea

[SashimiTurtle]

I have the 29, but size doesn't matter.

Something about the motion of the ocean...

 

[sfin52]

It doesn’t, I’ve been lied to all this time.

What a let down.

 

[Scurvy]

I'm one water change away from bare bottom in the 40. Will be adding a mix of Tropic Eden once I get it rinsed. Whats the best way to add the new sand? Drain as much water as possible, add sand and re-fill or am I over thinking it?

 

[sfin52]

That’s a good question. I whould turn off all pumps and dump in as close to the bottom as possible. I whouldnt empty my water. Jmp

 

[sfin52]

@Scurvy when’s the next water change

 

[Scurvy]

@Scurvy when’s the next water change

Probably tonight. I think my plan is to do this last change tonight and get moving on rinsing the new sand. Tomorrow or sunday I will drain 20-30 gallons into a container, remove the 4 fish, rescape, add sand, then water and fish. Probably more steps than needed for 4 fish and no corals.

Does anyone remove fish when adding new sand? I know im probably over thinking it but should i feel bad if i see the fish swimming in a cloud of dust, IDK?? I probably wouldn't like it if I were in their fins.

 

[Fudsey]

I have done it in the past in my FOWLR tank. Just left them in there. I washed the outside of the bag with ro/di and then opened it and put the whole bag right in the tank. I then dumped it out right on the bottom. There was little cloudiness. Did 3 bags this way after removing old sand and draining about 15 gal so I didn't create a big mess.

 

[sfin52]

I didn’t remove fish just dumped in. A little cloudiness but it cleared quick. If you are moving stuff around may want to add a little bacteria just Incase of a spike.

 

[najer]

Rinse and drain new sand here a few times under tap water if I add it, lift it and rinse with a kitchen sieve here at the last stage in fresh salt, add with pumps off.

 

[Scurvy]

Rinse last stage in fresh salt, add with pumps off.

That’s interesting. Hadnt thought about using salt water to rinse.

 

[Fudsey]

I didn't rinse at all and I used CaribSea Black Hawaiian. With just fish it was easy

 

[Scurvy]

Found this interesting. Its the ORP graph from my tank as I removed the Tahitian sand of doom.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

How did my own thread drop off my notifications...

@Scurvy, use a piece of PVC as a funnel to guide the sand to the bottom. That way you can aim exactly where you want the sand to go and not disturb or crush any fish or corals. You'll still make a sand cloud, but at least its better than just dumping it in from the top.

Also, please explain ORP? No idea what that means.

 

[Scurvy]

My understanding is limited to say the least but the little reading ive done says its a measure of the waters ability to process organics. A lower number may suggest something recently died and is breaking down.

Now obviously as the sand was removed i was also changing water however i never saw any number higher than 240 with that Doom sand from day 1 or with any subsequent water changes. Since the removal its gone way up and is still rising even days after the last water change.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Lengthy, but useful... only read first bit until I understood that it's the tanks ability to oxidize(get rid of) organics(exactly what you just said). And also that ferric metals may also lower the ORP. Seems 200-500mV is good and 300-400mV is best.

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-12/rhf/feature/index.htm

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Tahitian sand of doom.

Perfect description. Almost like Pele is mad about someone taking her sand.

Speaking of Pele, someone really ticked her off. Hawaii is taking a beating right now.

 

[Scurvy]

They getting beat down good and it looks like theres no end in site.

No doubt im over simplifying what ORP is but it was interesting to see on a graph.

I too was doing some additional reading while you were. Terrance indicated on a Neptune forum that a lot of times a water change will lower ORP readings which is the total opposite of what I saw by a long shot.

 

[Scurvy]

Uh oh.... decision time maybe

.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Friend of mine has that tank. Very nice.

 

[najer]

Uh oh.... decision time maybe

.

Very nice, do it lol!