Changing out substrate

[dawgface]

Unfortunately I don't think I'm a fan of black sand. Looking for opinions on the best way to remove 350lbs of coarse black sand from a 30" tall 450g tank:sad:

 

[acroholic]

DawgFace;765792 wrote: Unfortunately I don't think I'm a fan of black sand. Looking for opinions on the best way to remove 350lbs of coarse black sand from a 30" tall 450g tank:sad:

Get your self a trash can like a brute, then place a 5 gallon bucket inside it. Take a length of 1" ID vinyl tubing and use that as a gravel siphon. Siphon the gravel/water out into the 5 gallon bucket. The heavier gravel will settle in the bucket, and the water will overflow out and into the brute. Pull the bucket out at intervals and empty the collected gravel out into whatever you are storing it in. Use a submersible pump to pump the water in the brute back into the tank. Repeat until you have emptied the gravel out of the 450 gallon.

I used this method when I switched from black to white substrate in my 300 gallon. Less chance of scratching the tank this way as well.

 

[dawgface]

How long did it take you?

 

[mockery]

I personally siphon it out. But put is in a container to where you can collect the water.

 

[ralph atl]

Acroholic;765796 wrote: Get your self a trash can like a brute, then place a 5 gallon bucket inside it. Take a length of 1" ID vinyl tubing and use that as a gravel siphon. Siphon the gravel/water out into the 5 gallon bucket. The heavier gravel will settle in the bucket, and the water will overflow out and into the brute. Pull the bucket out at intervals and empty the collected gravel out into whatever you are storing it in. Use a submersible pump to pump the water in the brute back into the tank. Repeat until you have emptied the gravel out of the 450 gallon.

I used this method when I switched from black to white substrate in my 300 gallon. Less chance of scratching the tank this way as well.

that will work, and I would be all over this way....

 

[texhorns98]

Won't putting the water back in be a problem from stirring up the junk in the sand bed?

 

[ralph atl]

texhorns98;765803 wrote: Won't putting the water back in be a problem from stirring up the junk in the sand bed?

Not if it's a healthy sandbed, but yes, if it's not...

 

[dawgface]

Tanks only been up for a couple months. Hopefully I will not have a problem.

 

[rhyerob]

Acroholic;765796 wrote: Get your self a trash can like a brute, then place a 5 gallon bucket inside it. Take a length of 1" ID vinyl tubing and use that as a gravel siphon. Siphon the gravel/water out into the 5 gallon bucket. The heavier gravel will settle in the bucket, and the water will overflow out and into the brute. Pull the bucket out at intervals and empty the collected gravel out into whatever you are storing it in. Use a submersible pump to pump the water in the brute back into the tank. Repeat until you have emptied the gravel out of the 450 gallon.

I used this method when I switched from black to white substrate in my 300 gallon. Less chance of scratching the tank this way as well.

This is brilliant

 

[ralph atl]

DawgFace;765822 wrote: Tanks only been up for a couple months. Hopefully I will not have a problem.

Add some biogest (I have a capsule if you need, no charge), and some vodka...

 

[rhyerob]

texhorns98;765803 wrote: Won't putting the water back in be a problem from stirring up the junk in the sand bed?

Could cause phosphate, nitrates to stir up. But what's the alternative? To siphon that much sand would require a larger water change than he has in the tank (educated guess!)

 

[ralph atl]

mysterybox;765824 wrote: Add some biogest (I have a capsule if you need, no charge), and some vodka...

Or Seachem Stability....

 

[dawgface]

I have a ton of stability....

 

[ralph atl]

I would def add some, without a doubt...but prob just insurance...

 

[acroholic]

DawgFace;765798 wrote: How long did it take you?

I think it took me a couple hours...hardest to do was the nooks and crannies. Part of this could be tied to water changes, and you don't have to do it all at once. I did it all at once, and if your sandbed is not stagnant, then I would not worry about it. Chunks of my black sandbed were solidified and I pulled them out manually, and I didn't have any negative effects.

 

[rdnelson]

I could be wrong (and usually I am) but with the volume you have and the short amount of time it has been up and running, I don't think you have a lot to worry about when it comes to stirring up nasty stuff. No doubt the stability would be cheap insurance though.

 

[silver surfer]

Use a canister filter with carbon to pump the water back in the tank. I could loan you one. I use it as a "shop vac" to clean out the sump. I also put in several layers of filter pads to catch the larger stuff.

 

[dawgface]

I was going to pump it back through a filter sock. What kind of canister filter are you referring to?