ray is filling my system on saturday with nsw (180 tank, 75 fuge, 40 sump) i am using 5 bags of southdown in the sump ,how long will the sandstorm last and is there anything i can due to make it go by faster ,my plumbing is set up so that i can bypass the fudge from the main tank and sump via ball valve any info would be great
southdown
- Thread starter buddie
- Start date
I didn't have any sandstorm to speak of when I recently filled my 350g. Use a plastic bag, spread it on the sand and put the hose on the bag. I also put a small filter sponge over the hose to prevent a powerful stream from coming out. Worked like a charm. I also found that putting the top to a rubbermaid tub on the sand accomplishes the same thing.
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NateHanson
Non-member
Rinsing your southdown 3 or 4 times will make a huge difference for how stormy your southdown is. I put about half a bag in a 5 gallon bucket. Fill the bucket with a hose nozzle on full blast to really stir things up, mix it with my hand a couple times, then let it sit for two minutes. Pour off the water and repeat.
NanoReefer
25g Waterbox
If you are ready the addition of live rock will kick off the bacteria, which attach to the fine particles and helps to drop them out of suspension. My storm was gone by morning and I didn't rinse the southdown.
HTH
Steve
HTH
Steve
~Flighty~
Now with more baby
I would definately say rince the sand if it is a display. You never know if you want a burrowing critter later or a more powerful pump. In the fuge though, Even I didn't rinse it. I was tired from rinsing all of the sand for the display. Just dump it in, get it damp, cover it, and add water. You just don't want to stir it because the lighter particles land on top and always get striied up.
SHOmuchFUN
Skin-E-Reef
I just barely added my southdown to my system...
Unfortunately there was no other way than to mix the 150 gallons of saltwater, other than in the display itself. I wanted to mix the saltwater first because I didn't know if the salt would leach into the sand and gradually raise my SG. I rinsed my southdown a few times in a bucket before adding it directly to the display. I scooped it in a tupperware container and tried covering it and dumping it lightly on the ground... This effort was futile and I ended up just scooping and carefully placing on the bottom.
I can see about an inch into the tank, but that's about it. I don't have much froth (which I attribute to the rinsing), but there hasn't been much of a difference in clarity from the last few days. I have about 30 lbs of cured base rock in the display to help the bacteria colonization, but it doesn't colonize THAT much in a 120 gal tank with about 30 gallons of sump water.
I'm not running a protein skimmer, nor a mechanical filter either... Both would be helpful, but I don't have access to either since my 55gal reef is still running. I just have to be patient. I have to build a light hood for it anyway. No biggie just yet. Next week if it's still really cloudy, I may be researching alternative methods to try and speed up the process!
Unfortunately there was no other way than to mix the 150 gallons of saltwater, other than in the display itself. I wanted to mix the saltwater first because I didn't know if the salt would leach into the sand and gradually raise my SG. I rinsed my southdown a few times in a bucket before adding it directly to the display. I scooped it in a tupperware container and tried covering it and dumping it lightly on the ground... This effort was futile and I ended up just scooping and carefully placing on the bottom.
I can see about an inch into the tank, but that's about it. I don't have much froth (which I attribute to the rinsing), but there hasn't been much of a difference in clarity from the last few days. I have about 30 lbs of cured base rock in the display to help the bacteria colonization, but it doesn't colonize THAT much in a 120 gal tank with about 30 gallons of sump water.
I'm not running a protein skimmer, nor a mechanical filter either... Both would be helpful, but I don't have access to either since my 55gal reef is still running. I just have to be patient. I have to build a light hood for it anyway. No biggie just yet. Next week if it's still really cloudy, I may be researching alternative methods to try and speed up the process!
thanks for all your usefull tips , along with the 5 bags of southdown i added abot 25-30 lbs of carib sea aragonite on top of the southdown ,it is not as fine so i hope it will help hold down the sandstorm if i do get one ,also should i hold off running my return pump untill all sand has come to rest on the bottom , will it scratch the impeller of the pump or do any damage also liverock (300 lbs ) will be in soon . i just hope it does not take forever to cycle
nunofs
Non-member
buddie: the two kinds of sand will mix over time, the finer grained will rise to the top.
FWIW, I used unrinsed Southdown using the trash-bag-and-bucket method (lay a large trash bag over the sand, put a bucket on top of it to hold it down, and start filling the bucket, the water will slowly overflow the bucket) and I didn't get a sandstorm at all.
Btw, I'm also in Billerica...
Nuno
FWIW, I used unrinsed Southdown using the trash-bag-and-bucket method (lay a large trash bag over the sand, put a bucket on top of it to hold it down, and start filling the bucket, the water will slowly overflow the bucket) and I didn't get a sandstorm at all.
Btw, I'm also in Billerica...
Nuno
NateHanson
Non-member
nunofs said:
Actually I think the larger pieces will come to the surface. That's been my experience with a mix of crushed coral and southdown in a previous tank. The smaller grains can work they're way down further and end up pushing shells and larger stuff to the surface.
New Castle in stock!!!
Hi,
I just got back from Russell's Garden Center on Rt 20 in Wayland.
I bought some for my new 72 bow that is coming. I broke the wrapping off
of 1 of 2 pallets. $5.99 /bag. They said it may be their last shipment.
It is labeled Tropical playsand Silica-free.
Good Luck!!!!
Larry (sparkyee)
Hi,I just got back from Russell's Garden Center on Rt 20 in Wayland.
I bought some for my new 72 bow that is coming. I broke the wrapping off
of 1 of 2 pallets. $5.99 /bag. They said it may be their last shipment.
It is labeled Tropical playsand Silica-free.
Good Luck!!!!
Larry (sparkyee)
sanker
No anchovies please
I added my southdown (taken out of the 75 I got from my friend whcih I turned into my sump/fuge). I put 10g into the fuge (about 4") and another 10g into the 90 (about 2").
it has been 2.5 days and it barely looks clearer. I was thinking of putting some felt around a whisper 200 filter but it will not fit on the edge. I also have a HOT magnum that I may try to wrap in felt. wish I knew about the sand storm ahead of time, I would have rinsed the sand.
any other ideas?
-Sean
it has been 2.5 days and it barely looks clearer. I was thinking of putting some felt around a whisper 200 filter but it will not fit on the edge. I also have a HOT magnum that I may try to wrap in felt. wish I knew about the sand storm ahead of time, I would have rinsed the sand.
any other ideas?
-Sean
sanker
No anchovies please
I should have added that the tank had been in his garage for probably 4 months and was bone dry. The fish died in the 30 before ever moving over. Must have been O2 starvation. The Damsel was gulping and then when I put the skimmer back on (which bubbles like crazy and adds all kinds of O2) he was fine.
what is floss?
-Sean
what is floss?
-Sean
