changing sand bed

[ReeferMedic]

I need to get rid of my 5 yr old sand/crushed coral bed and replace it with 100% southdown. Are there any detrimental effects that this can have if I do it all at once? I was thinking of doing this all in one day. I also have a 18" eel and a couple of other fish I need to remove and I've tried almost everything to get the eel out and would like to rearrange some of the rock anyway, maybe swap/take some out, etc... My nitrates are through the roof and I can't get them much below 100. Yes, that's not a typo, I said 100! LMK what you think.....

 

[smcnally]

I've never done it, but I woudl remove everything from the tank. If your sandbed is deep, I've heard you can release toxins into the water buy disturbing anything a few inches down. I'm sure someone with more knowledge will chime in, but I wouldn't attempt it with anything in the tank.

 

[this is me]

I wouldnt completely replace the whole sandbad but little by little. A spot here this month, and another spot there next month, and so on. More work but I think its much safer.
And yes, the sandbed smells!! open your window and have the fans ready.

 

[ReeferMedic]

Yeah, I plan on taking everything out first and reacclimating them.....

 

[dpnshnks]

I was thinking about the same thing for my tank and read a great idea in a previous post. Due to the fact that Southdown is SOOO messy, first you may want to wash it, but more importantly, pick up a piece of PVC pipe that you can dump the sand down. That way you won't be dealing with the same extent of a sandstorm.

Why haven't you been able to get the nitrates below 100? Try 30-50% water changes every other day and I'll guarantee you that you're nitrates will come down quickly. If you're only doing 5-10% water changes, that is really innefectual at cutting nitrates, even if you're doing a ton of them. I thought it weird until I did the math out and it certainly makes sense.

I definitely recommend trying larger water changes before disturbing a sand bed, it'll be much safer!

Eric

 

[ReeferMedic]

Yep, tried big water changes too. I've done 3 or 4 40 gallon water changes in the past 14 days with a few 20 gallon changes in between and nothing.......

 

[NateHanson]

I'd siphon the sand bed out instead of scooping it out. It should disturb it much less, and it probably won't allow the crap in the sand to dissipate in the tank and nuke all the occupants. Do you have corals in the tank? If so, I'd probably find them a new home for a few days or set up a little quarantine system. A couple people have lost a lot of corals when they've moved or seriously disturbed old sand-beds.

Nate

 

[ReeferMedic]

I planned on removing everything before I disturbed the sand, and reacclimating them after the tank was full again.....

 

[delta]

I would just remove all live stock and water then scoop out all the sand. then use a wet vac to remove the any left over sludge/sand the tank will be dry when you are done. then put your southdown in place a plastic bag on the sand with a bowl and start to refill the tank pouring in the bowl first.
the only thing i would strongly suggest is rinsing the sand first.
this is exactly what i did and it went very smooth i did in corporate a 20% water change. i saw no ill effect whatsoever. took me and my wife 3hrs definately easier with 2 people

Oh yea dont forget to save a cup of sand to seed the new bed

 

[ReeferMedic]

I would just remove all live stock and water then scoop out all the sand. then use a wet vac to remove the any left over sludge/sand the tank will be dry when you are done. then put your southdown in place a plastic bag on the sand with a bowl and start to refill the tank pouring in the bowl first.
the only thing i would strongly suggest is rinsing the sand first.
this is exactly what i did and it went very smooth i did in corporate a 20% water change. i saw no ill effect whatsoever. took me and my wife 3hrs definately easier with 2 people

Oh yea dont forget to save a cup of sand to seed the new bed

That's more what my gut tells me to do. I think in the long run, it would be better. Has any one else had any experience with doing this with a big tank?

 

[denvig]

I'd siphon the sand bed out instead of scooping it out. It should disturb it much less, and it probably won't allow the crap in the sand to dissipate in the tank and nuke all the occupants.
Nate

This is how I would do but only about 10% per week. IMO if you pull everything it is risky. Siphon a little out and replace with the PVC pipe. Next week a little more and so on. You dont need to remove anything. And it will be far less stressfull to the tank.

 

[delta]

how effectively can you siphon crushed coral?

i would also add with nitrates of 100 maybe try vacuming CC(probably alot of detritus) get skimmer up to par , maybe skimmer undersized? as well as forementioned aggressive waterchanges. maybe double check water source aswell. just a few thought you probably already had

 

[ReeferMedic]

Skimmer is an etss 1000, water source is rodi tds is 0. I think it is definately a combination of the sand bed, the eel, and this frikkin canister filter that I was talked into buying when I first started out from a local lfs that I'm sure no one here goes to any way. Can you say Fish Natzi? But any way, I don't think things are going to change unless these issues are delt with. If I lose a few things, so be it. At least I will know that things will be on the right track. Any one up for a Tearing my tank Down Barbeque??????????