cleaning sand with cyano q?

[TekCat]

When I had cyano outbreak, I syphoned top layer of sand with cyano. Can I clean and reuse this sand? If so, how do I accomplish that? (bleach, boiling, etc...?)

[Travis L. Stevens]

I wouldn't. How much sand did you syphon out?

[TekCat]

not much, maybe 5 pounds tops.

[trippyl]

I think it's a good idea to siphon out the top layer of the sand anyway, especially if you don't have good sand sifting. It doesn't have to be 5 lbs worth though, just skim the top of the sand. Do not reuse...

[TekCat]

Gotcha, this sand will not go back.

Still (yes, I am obscessive compulsive reefer-wanabe ), lets say hypothetically, how one would clean something like sand mixed with dead cyanobacteria? Organics and waste could be dealt with bleach. Boiling would loosen up particles of junk that stuck to the sand grains. Then vigorous rinsing should complete cleaning process nicely. I know that this is not the most efficient or even needed for small amount of sand (5lbs), but just for the purpose of discussion will this process renew dirty sand?


trippyl, I agree with sand sifting need. However this was not due to "freshwater substrate cleaning". Siphoned out sand is a "collateral damage". This was not the intent. Over time, small portions of sand got into siphon tube, so I collected it with the though of reusing it someday.