Replacing crushed coral with sand

[asianer]

Any suggestions on how this can be done with minimal disturbance to an existing tank?

[grneyes3x]

I just did it. wasnt too bad. First I took out all the rock then I took out the cc just by scooping. The water got pretty cloudy. I left and went to the lfs to get ls when I got home water was clear enough to replace rock then I scooped the ls in a glass held hand over top and placed it near bottom and slowly empty the glass. Didnt cloud up any more. I didnt have any fish yet so didnt have to worry about that. I hope this helped

[zoomfish1]

You can also 1) rinse off the outside of the bag and 2) put it into the water on the bottom and 3) make an "X" slit in the top and allow it to go into the bottom of the tank very slowly. A minimum of sand cloud that way.

Of course you have to get out the CC first. Scoop it out is the only way there.

[SgJsg35]

I left the arag-alive in my tank when I added the live sand. I bought that (arag-alive)when I started out and didnt want to get rid of it. The mix seems to work well.

[eddified]

when i did the change i actually just siphoned out 95% of the CC using a 1/2 tubing....as long as ur live rocks are on the glass botton and not the subsrate its a lot easier then taking apart ur tank....i couldnt get all of it out just the minimal stuff between the cracks and underneath some of the rock...and u will suck out a lot for the water as well just make sure replace that once the jobs done...i dunno might sound foolish but it worked for me

[loves saltwater]

if your tank is established you might want to remove the CC slowly I did mine 1/4 of the tank at a time.Removing 25% every 5 days over a month. If the tank is new then you will not have to worry just get it all out and lower the new sand bag and all into the tank and cut an opening in the bottom of the bag and let it out slowly...

[FLReefGirl]

Why do you have to remove the old cc? If you're not using LS shouldn't you leave the old cc that has all the BB?

[AZDesertRat]

Crushed coral rises to the surface since the sand is heavier. To me it looks bad plus it still traps detritus which is why most people get rid of it in the first place.

[SgJsg35]

Is the crushed coral the same as the aragonite or is it the stuff that looks like white gravel? I was thinking it was what I had.

[FLReefGirl]

the one I used said it was aragonite crushed coral.