Adding more sand

[lorenk]

I want to add more sand to my tanks. Is there anything special I need to do? I'm worried that I'll stress/kill my fish.

Any suggestions based on past experience?

 

[jeep9783]

I never had a problem with it stressing the fish just the dust covering the corals...but that was fixed by the wave of my hand removing the dust...just my opinion

 

[saltwater junky]

i say go for it

 

[calireefer]

I add new sand every few months. Just my opinion but I always add a small amount at a time to avoid smothering my old sand bed. Also if its just a small amount the bags of wet or "Live" sand will not cloud your water as bad and won't lower your calcium and alk levels. The later is just something I read not a personal observation.

 

[victor626nj]

i say do it a little at a time and if you do do it open the bag in the water to avooid a sand storm youll still get one but not as bad and make sure you change your fiter pad after everything clears back up,but your fish will be fine

 

[george]

The only stress I've seen before is on inverts. I'm not sure why.

One technique for adding sand to avoid the storm is to use a length of reasonably large diameter PVC pipe and pour the sand down the pipe as it sits on the existing sand bed. After a wait period, slowly lift the pipe out while spreading the sand around.

 

[ouling]

Depending on what you add. If you add fine argonite then it'll move your calcium and alk levels along with pH to higher grounds-which is probably why inverts don't like this. Massive amounts of fresh argonite will dissolve in water to the point of saturation. Although calcium carbonate does not dissolve well in water (99.9% insoluable at 7.0pH, 0 degrees C), due to the massive surface area of the sand you're adding, this will have some effects on your tank chemistry; also, the fine particles that didn't get washed out will dissolve more readily than others (think purple up). This is why you see your tank cloudy. I suggest when you add sand, you should make sure your calcium and alk is as high as your magnesium will allow them to go.

 

[seedless reefer]

I have also added sand and just did recently. You should do it as slow as possible and keep away from powerheads.

Tank will be cloudy for a few hours.

 

[jetchris]

you can pack it in little sandwich bags. Put the full bags at the bottom of the tank then cut them open with a razor and slowly pour them out.

 

[dakota9]

Not trying to highjack a thread, but one quick question. I have a very course substrate (about 45 pounds), and bought more new substrate (30 pounds)of a simarlar particle size. Its rinsed and ready to go. I'm going to mix the two together and dump it in my new tank. My thinking is it will be fine, any thoughts to the contrary?

Thanks

 

[jefft]

Dakota9;80246 wrote: Not trying to highjack a thread, but one quick question. I have a very course substrate (about 45 pounds), and bought more new substrate (30 pounds)of a simarlar particle size. Its rinsed and ready to go. I'm going to mix the two together and dump it in my new tank. My thinking is it will be fine, any thoughts to the contrary?

Thanks

If you have wrasse they like finer sand.

 

[dakota9]

The only wrasse I had was a six line wrasse that went carpet surfing recently. They dont burrow, so its not an issue. Well it's really not an issue since, well, he's dead and all. But even when he was alive he didn't burrow....

Maybe he killed himself because of my substrate!