adding sand to established tank

allykahn · 05-22-2001, 05:38 AM

OK. My tank has been up for over 2 years. I have my southdown and I am ready to convert over from cc. What is the best way to add sand without getting cloudy water. I don't have an extra tank to house my fish. I think that I will add about 15-20% sand at a time, in order to be on the safe side. Any suggestions?

Bughead · 05-22-2001, 04:47 PM

This is something I did several months ago. I increased the sandbed from 2" to 4-5" in the 100 gal tank. I "divided" the tank into thirds, adding a little less than 1/2" sand to a third of the tank every 3 or 4 nights. The reason I added new sand in the evening is because it makes the whole tank look like skim milk, but it's perfectly clear by morning. I left all the livestock in with no problems. The fish didn't even seem particularily stressed. The whole process is a pain in the a$$, but totally worth the effort.

------------------
If it's broke, don't fix it---hide it.

Elmo18 · 05-22-2001, 08:56 PM

Im my opinion, there is no way of getting around NOT getting cloudy water. However, I have found that using a filter floss (liek the ones in the Eclipse systems) with carbon should help clearing up the cloudy water. I would think the best way would be to take out all the livestock, put them in holding tanks/containers, then switch the cc to southdown all at once. I'm not sure if this will kill all the great bacteria and amphipods.

Regards,
Ilham

allykahn · 05-23-2001, 05:09 AM

thanks for the help. I think that I will start adding the sand this weekend.

killian · 05-23-2001, 01:37 PM

We recently changed our cc to a sandbed. Took out all the rock and livestock and out 50% of water. Put everything in a HUGE ice chest and used a cat liter scooper to remove the cc but leave the good bacteria. Rinsed the sand and put in tank. We have another tank so we put our fish in it and put the live rock back in the tank with the sand. It was cloudy for the rest of the day but by the next day it was much better. Put the fish back in and everything did fine. Good luck with your project.

brown trout · 06-07-2001, 05:48 PM

Easy and fast way to do this is get a piece of pvc pipe and slide the sand down that. This eliminates the cloudy water and that nasty headache that's associated with this process. Hope all went well.

Bughead · 06-07-2001, 08:45 PM

Wow, Brown Trout!!
What a great idea, shooting the sand down PVC pipe! Wish I'd thought of that last January.

brown trout · 06-08-2001, 12:22 PM

It's all about trial and error. I can't tell you how many times I did it the hard way. It takes us stubborn people a while to learn sometimes!!!

G · 06-09-2001, 01:24 AM

good idea Brown trout! Your already contributing in the short time you've been here! I think I'll try your method myself!

Gary

allykahn · 06-10-2001, 02:57 AM

Thanks for the suggestions. I started last weekend, and I must say it was a pain in the butt. I only put sand in about half of the tank. I wasn't sure about yanking all the cc out in one shot and causing problems in the tank. I'll finish this weekend. The sand makes a 100% difference. It also makes the tank appear brighter. A few notes:
1. This is not a project to do by yourself if you have a large tank.
2. I put the sand in at night so that I don't have to look at milky water. Clear water by morning.
3. No matter what you do, you will get cloudy water.

05-22-2001, 05:38 AM	#1
allykahn Just Moved In Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: philadelphia, pa USA Posts: 43	adding sand to established tank OK. My tank has been up for over 2 years. I have my southdown and I am ready to convert over from cc. What is the best way to add sand without getting cloudy water. I don't have an extra tank to house my fish. I think that I will add about 15-20% sand at a time, in order to be on the safe side. Any suggestions?

06-07-2001, 08:45 PM	#7
Bughead Governor Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA Posts: 1,152	Wow, Brown Trout!! What a great idea, shooting the sand down PVC pipe! Wish I'd thought of that last January. __________________ The road to hell is paved with good intentions, but it's the thought that counts.

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05-22-2001, 04:47 PM	#2
Bughead Governor Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Las Vegas, NV, USA Posts: 1,152	This is something I did several months ago. I increased the sandbed from 2" to 4-5" in the 100 gal tank. I "divided" the tank into thirds, adding a little less than 1/2" sand to a third of the tank every 3 or 4 nights. The reason I added new sand in the evening is because it makes the whole tank look like skim milk, but it's perfectly clear by morning. I left all the livestock in with no problems. The fish didn't even seem particularily stressed. The whole process is a pain in the a$$, but totally worth the effort. ------------------ If it's broke, don't fix it---hide it.

05-22-2001, 08:56 PM	#3
Elmo18 Governor Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,514	Im my opinion, there is no way of getting around NOT getting cloudy water. However, I have found that using a filter floss (liek the ones in the Eclipse systems) with carbon should help clearing up the cloudy water. I would think the best way would be to take out all the livestock, put them in holding tanks/containers, then switch the cc to southdown all at once. I'm not sure if this will kill all the great bacteria and amphipods. Regards, Ilham

05-23-2001, 05:09 AM	#4
allykahn Just Moved In Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: philadelphia, pa USA Posts: 43	thanks for the help. I think that I will start adding the sand this weekend.

05-23-2001, 01:37 PM	#5
killian Citizen Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: M'ville Georgia Posts: 144	We recently changed our cc to a sandbed. Took out all the rock and livestock and out 50% of water. Put everything in a HUGE ice chest and used a cat liter scooper to remove the cc but leave the good bacteria. Rinsed the sand and put in tank. We have another tank so we put our fish in it and put the live rock back in the tank with the sand. It was cloudy for the rest of the day but by the next day it was much better. Put the fish back in and everything did fine. Good luck with your project.

06-07-2001, 05:48 PM	#6
brown trout Tenant Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Twentynine Palms, Ca. Posts: 64	Easy and fast way to do this is get a piece of pvc pipe and slide the sand down that. This eliminates the cloudy water and that nasty headache that's associated with this process. Hope all went well.

06-08-2001, 12:22 PM	#8
brown trout Tenant Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Twentynine Palms, Ca. Posts: 64	It's all about trial and error. I can't tell you how many times I did it the hard way. It takes us stubborn people a while to learn sometimes!!!

06-09-2001, 01:24 AM	#9
G Citizen Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: So. Cal., USC Country Posts: 249	good idea Brown trout! Your already contributing in the short time you've been here! I think I'll try your method myself! Gary

06-10-2001, 02:57 AM	#10
allykahn Just Moved In Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: philadelphia, pa USA Posts: 43	Thanks for the suggestions. I started last weekend, and I must say it was a pain in the butt. I only put sand in about half of the tank. I wasn't sure about yanking all the cc out in one shot and causing problems in the tank. I'll finish this weekend. The sand makes a 100% difference. It also makes the tank appear brighter. A few notes: 1. This is not a project to do by yourself if you have a large tank. 2. I put the sand in at night so that I don't have to look at milky water. Clear water by morning. 3. No matter what you do, you will get cloudy water.

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