Keeping sand from existing tank

[dawgface]

<p style="text-align:left;">Whats the reason you can't transfer live sand from one established tank to another? I'm upgrading a 72g to a 190, I'd like to here specific reason why I can not transfer all my sand instead of just "seeding" and buying all new.

 

[KrisDeitz]

From what i heard if you rinse it good your ok. They sand holds lots of Garbage. Poop and stuff. So if you mess with it while the tank is running it can nuke it. This is all from what ive heard and read.

 

[jeffmuse]

a4207;614160]<p style="text-align:left">Whats the reason you can't transfer live sand from one established tank to another? I'm upgrading a 72g to a 190, I'd like to here specific reason why I can not transfer all my sand instead of just "seeding" and buying all new.[/QUOTE]

My understanding is that there are pockets of debris and nitrates that are being broken down by nitrifying bacteria throughout the sand. When there is a major disturbance to the sand bed, such as transfering from one tank to another, it causes a pretty substantial nitrate spike in the old and new tanks.

The safest bet is to buy totally new sand for the new system and seeding it with a cup full of sand from the old system. If buying new sand is not possible, take the old sand and rinse it THROUGHLY before adding it to the new tank.

 

[texhorns98]

From someone who's done it and killed an ENTIRE tank, I know it "can" be done. Rinse it, rinse it, and then when you're done, rinse it again and you should be fine. Test early and often for ammonia and be ready if it spikes.

 

[dawgface]

Make sense, I'm off to by new sand!

 

[buddyro]

texhorns98;614182 wrote: From someone who's done it and killed an ENTIRE tank, I know it "can" be done. Rinse it, rinse it, and then when you're done, rinse it again and you should be fine. Test early and often for ammonia and be ready if it spikes.

I wish I would've asked this question before I did my tank swap in Dec., I'm still fighting nitrates...I used (1) 5 gallon worth of old sand to (2) 40lb bags and 40+days I still have hgh nitrates, I been doing WC's every other day :sad:....But my livestock is still holding on good with corals only closing up a little,but open...:confused2:...pray for me guys...

 

[rbredding]

buddy,

vacuum the substrate out when you do your WC..

 

[bruce 1]

BuddyRo;614241 wrote: I wish I would've asked this question before I did my tank swap in Dec., I'm still fighting nitrates...I used (1) 5 gallon worth of old sand to (2) 40lb bags and 40+days I still have hgh nitrates, I been doing WC's every other day :sad:....But my livestock is still holding on good with corals only closing up a little,but open...:confused2:...pray for me guys...

This is what I did also. (the previous owner of the tank told me to use the sand) I set it up last year in July and I still fight Nitrates. I am now Vodka dosing to try and help with the Nitrates.

 

[atlweb]

I took I believe it is MVM's (???) advice and just bought new sand when I transferred my tank. I bought nutrisea sand that guarantees no cycle. After transferring, I have not had any problems at all.