Transferring tank Monday Question About Sand Replacement

[wolffman1992]

I have moved and transferred tanks 3 times. Even combining two tanks together sand rock etc included without any fatalities. However my current tank has been up for about a year and a half and I am thinking replacing the sand is a good idea. I always siphon the sand during water changes so I am thinking I will use some old sand from the front of the tank where I've siphoned to seed the new sand. But as far as adding new sand should I use non-live sand or live sand? I have a significant amount of SPS and that is my main concern. I will be transferring the contents of my tank to the new tank Monday so any thoughts are appreciated. I am downsizing from a 72 bow to a 70 gallon due to a leak. I have at least 100 pounds of live rock which has been with me for about 2 plus years now.

so live sand or non-live sand?

objective: not cause my tank to cycle. I have some experience with this but not when it comes to replacing sand. From what I gather it can go either way depending on the method of transfer or just the tank's ecology.

 

[Jim Tansey]

When I set up my existing tank I had no intention of using "Live Sand" but that's all they had available, I purchased live rock from CRA, and used the live sand, my 70 gal never went through a cycle and I tested every other day for three months. Between the live rock and live sand the tank the tank was established from day one, I still find it a bit hard to believe.

Jim

 

[delta]

I've moved tanks with new dry sand, Siphoned out sand beds & replaced with dry sand in a running system, I've broken a tank down to removed the sand bed added new dry sand and never had an issue put the tank back together that day. the LR is the efficient biofilter in the tank not the sand. I can't say you won't cycle even though I never did. The only thing I can say is as long as everything goes wet to wet it reduces the probability. Once LR sits out in the air then that changes things as it dries out. Every time I do a major sandbed change like that I expect a cycle but I haven't seen one yet.

Only experience with commercially bought Live sand was setting up a 29g new and that is all they had. I did like the sand itself id didn't help the initial cycle. I did end up seeding it from a healthy mature tank. but not sure that helps you as you are moving a cycled tank and I can;t really give a you a conclusion one way or another on the commercially bought LS

The other alternative is LS from say http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/Live-Sand-Prodview.html that will be alive with life and bacteria. I have used theirs a few times with no issues.

I would do what you feel more comfortable doing

 

[wolffman1992]

Thanks delta I was thinking of using dry sand because I fee like live sand has a lot of die off in it

 

[JayM]

Thanks delta I was thinking of using dry sand because I fee like live sand has a lot of die off in it

it can. make sure you skim wet and run fresh carbon