Setting up new tank: Have some questions

[Braden8558]

Hello,

I am planning on setting up a new coralife biocube and currently have an oceanic biocube. First question is, should I replace the sand? The sand in the tank I have setup now was purchased with the tank on craigslist and is established. There are some larger inconsistent chunks in it but I'm wondering if it would be better not to disturb it? I was thinking if I did change it, I would just buy one of those bagged sands off of amazon. What would you guys say is the best depth for the sand. 2 inches? 3 inches?

My other question is that I believe I may have a mantis shrimp. I am not positive, but I do hear a loud clicking/ticking noise and I feel like that may be the mantis. I haven't seen it and my clownfish and six line are fine. My inverts seem okay to except some snails did pass away, I have like no snails in there anymore, and possibly some emerald crabs. How should I handle this?


Thanks for the help,

Braden :.

 

[frank180reef]

Did u clean the same bed when you got it?
If no then I would I guess

Btw you might cycle again

 

[viking]

IMO I would replace the sand. I would just keep a cup of the old sand to seed bacteria. Depending on how old the sand is you can release some nasty stuff.

 

[Flame Angel]

Braden, are you trying to run both tanks or take down the established one?

If the later I would only use 2" and seed with a cup from the established tank.

Not sure where you live. But the may me a LFS close to you where you could pick up a bag or two of the sand you mentioned.

In regard to the mantis I believe you will be able to find it once the nights are off with a flash light. I am going my memory, but believe the are nocturnal.

If the mantis has been eating your snails and has run out of food and moved on to your crabs. He will be looking for his next food source soon(fish).

Good luck!

 

[Braden8558]

Braden, are you trying to run both tanks or take down the established one?

If the later I would only use 2" and seed with a cup from the established tank.

Not sure where you live. But the may me a LFS close to you where you could pick up a bag or two of the sand you mentioned.

In regard to the mantis I believe you will be able to find it once the nights are off with a flash light. I am going my memory, but believe the are nocturnal.

If the mantis has been eating your snails and has run out of food and moved on to your crabs. He will be looking for his next food source soon(fish).

Good luck!

Thanks for all the replies! I am taking down the oceanic biocube and setting up the coralife one. I wonder if this really is a mantis and where he could be hiding? I haven't put in any live rock since I got the tank and he had live rock in it already. All I added was some base rock which may now be live depending on what you consider live haha. I may do that with the sand. What is the main reason I would want to change my sand?

Thanks, Braden

 

[22engine]

Because the sand can have a lot of stuff trapped in it. And when you disturb it to move it all the stuff will get stirred up and released into the new tank. This would cause a big nitrate spike. I upgraded my tank about 8 months ago. Went from a bio cube to a 45 gallon cube. I bought all new sand. Bought the live bag sand stuff. Then just took a cup full of my old sand and put it in the new sand. I used about half the water from the cube and the rest was all new mixed salt water. The mantis can hid in the rock work. So be careful when you move all your rock that it isn't hiding and end up in your new tank. Get a rubber maid container and but your rock in it with water from the tank. And put a heater in it. That way it stays warm while you get the new tank set up and the new water up to the same temp. I did everything in one day and didn't have a mini cycle. Doesn't mean that you won't. Just watch it and have water ready for changes. I don't know your water change schedule but I did 5 gallons a week in my biocube so would recommend you do that for at least the first couple weeks


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[Overlook reef]

Braden- you do not have a pistol shrimp in there do you? That may be what the clicking sound is.

 

[RiverRat]

could be a pistol shrimp.....or maybe your heater.

 

[Braden8558]

I never put one in the tank and I have taken it down before but the sand has stayed in. I have never seen it either if I do have one.