Transfer ????

[The Flyers]

Ok i have 2 questions. this is for a 180g upgrade to a 220g

1. Can I use the sand from my old tank and put it into the new tank. I have read that in order to do that i have to flush and rinse the old sand. I read someone put their sand in a bucket and rinsed it with their garden hose then rinsed it with ro/water. can you do that?? or should i just buy new sand?


2. Do i have to cure my live rock before putting into the new tank. I have such a bad hair algae problem i thought I would. I think my lights are causing the problem. I no longer have any corals in the tank since they all died. i turned off the MH lights and just run the VHO. so should i cure them or just brush them off with a tooth brush and put them in the new tank?

[kevinpo]

Hello,
There is no reason to rinse the sand. The rock you have is cured, just brush it off and put it in the new tank. Algae growth is not caused by lighting but rather nutrients. You will need to eliminate the source of excess nutrients or the algae will return. Hair algae is usually associated with excess phosphate. The typical sources are food or the water supply. GFO (granulated ferric oxide) run in a canister filter is a common way to remove excess phosphate.

Regards,
Kevin