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#1
11/26/2006, 05:29 PM
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Cleaning Sand with Fresh Water
My last tank was a BB & I am planning my future tank with sand. You really can't beat the look of a tank with sand!!!!!
I will put 40lbs of Aragalive sand (the coarser kind that looks like crushed fine shell pieces). I plan on taking out at least 10lbs each month to rinse out with Fresh water. I am not worried about killing the life on the sand, but am kind of worried about putting it back & maybe causing another cycle. Does anyone else clean their sand periodically with fresh water & place it back in their tank? Are their any ill effects short term or long term? TIA
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90g AGA/RR/BB, 30g sump, Aquactinics 2x250 (XM20K)/2x54 T5 (AB & B+), Eheim 1262 Return, Deltec AP600, Tunze 6060 & Osmolator 3155, Homemade 2 part |
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#2
11/26/2006, 05:48 PM
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I have never taken my sand out to clean it. If there is ditritus on the top, I will suck it up on water changes, then swish it around in the old saltwater, then put it back. I don't think you want to kill the good bacterial bed in the sand. I would not.
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#4
11/26/2006, 09:07 PM
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The vacuum method is a PITA, since some sand is removed at the same time.
There are some people who have immaculate sand, they must do it by the method that I mentioned. Have you seen sand with Nassirus, Conch's, & Gobby's? Are they super clean? Is this always the case?
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90g AGA/RR/BB, 30g sump, Aquactinics 2x250 (XM20K)/2x54 T5 (AB & B+), Eheim 1262 Return, Deltec AP600, Tunze 6060 & Osmolator 3155, Homemade 2 part |
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#5
11/26/2006, 09:57 PM
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There's probably not anything totally horrible with washing it out but if the tank is set up properlly you shouldn't need to. The only time I have done this is to break down a tank and set a new one up.
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How do you kick this habit anyway.......saltwater addicts anonymous? |
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#6
11/26/2006, 10:06 PM
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yes it may cause a cycle. if I were you I would buy a large bag and replace the sand and throw the old away. the sand you wash with fresh water will have lots of dead stuff in it as a result. if you put it back in the tank the dead stuff will pollute the tank. you can bleach it and then soak it in vinegar to etch the top later off, but it is a PITA.
why dont you wash some sand in fresh water and let it sit in a cup for about a week, then smell the cup. lots of dead stuff and real stinky. that should help you decide if you want that back in your reef.
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My name is Shane and I am a reefaholic, I have a disease and they don't know what to call it. |
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#7
11/27/2006, 03:15 AM
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it wont cause a cycle because there is enough benificial bacteria already to handle his bio load.
with proper circulation and a good clean up crew and keeping your nutrients low you will have clean sand. the only problem with putting sand that has been fresh water washed back in the tank is that there is no bacteria on it. at that point its very easy for a bad bacteria to grow on it before good. bad bacteria like cyano will grow faster then the good so you may have a 6 week period of that before the good bacteria takes hold |
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