re using sand bed

Discussion in '3reef Site Polls' started by steve wright, Mar 15, 2010.

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re using old sand bed - yes/ no/ maybe?

  1. discarded and used new sand, seeded with a cup of old sand

    27 vote(s)
    52.9%
  2. cleaned old sand left to dry, and re used

    6 vote(s)
    11.8%
  3. rinsed old sand in tank water and immediately introduced into tank

    10 vote(s)
    19.6%
  4. none of the above - please describe your method

    8 vote(s)
    15.7%
  1. steve wright

    steve wright Super Moderator

    Joined:
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    Hi 3 reefers

    if you have previously stripped down and relocated your reef tank
    did you re use the sand bed

    did you discard your old sand bed and start with a new one
    did you save a couple of cups of old sand to seed the new one
    did you just clean and re use your existing sand in your relocated set up

    please describe the process you used
    please also indicate any parameter issues, or lack off issues using the method you selected

    Steve
     
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  3. OnefishTwofish

    OnefishTwofish Feather Star

    Joined:
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    Western NY
    subscribed - I am facing this dilemma in my not too distant future. Mine involves rock too - because I want to order some new dry rock and start "clean" in order to phase out most of the less desireable rocks in my current tank.

    I am not sure what to do about that either - this go round having learned what I have from 3reef, I want more control over hitchhikers and algae etc.

    My tank will be replaced in it's current location. ugh. I will have to start a separate thread about that project when i start getting items together. The new tank will be a 50 breeder.

    ....time to eagerly await people's responses to this thread. Thanks for coming up with it Steve!
     
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  4. missionsix

    missionsix Super Moderator Staff Member

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    It's a bad idea! Tried it. I rinsed, bleached, rinsed, laid out in the sun to cook, and it was pretty nasty when I took my tank down. Way nastier than it should have been for a year old.
     
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  5. marlinman

    marlinman Zoanthid

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    I moved up twice last year and I threw out the old sand except for a couple of cups for seeding. It's all about the rocks. I used new Caribsea Oolite live sand.
     
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  6. veedubshafer

    veedubshafer Banned

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    Palmerton, Pennsyltucky
    Considering how hard it is to change your sand in an existing tank I would vote for changing it and maybe sprinkling a cup or two of your old sand into the new stuff. I am going to be setting up a new bigger tank soon and I was planning on using some of my old sand in my new refugium. Then I will use all new sand with a little of the old stuff in the display tank. I will also be using all of my current live rock and just adding more base rock - about 1/3 of the rock will be my current live rock so plenty to seed the new dry stuff.
     
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  7. stonewilled

    stonewilled Feather Duster

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    East Texas
    I used my old sand without even rinsing it. It was prolly only 6 months old at time of transfer. Didn't have any problems.
     
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  9. schackmel

    schackmel Giant Squid

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    defiinately tossed it. Not worth the trouble IMO, plus I cant imagine getting all the junk out that needed to be out. I did keep a couple cups of old sand to seed the new tank.

    I did use the sand once but not in the normal way....I took down my 28g and upgraded to a 72g with a 60g sump. I took the sand out of my 28g and put it in the sump of the 72, with all new sand in the DT and some new sand in the sump. I figured I was going to cycle that tank out all the way (got new rocks etc) so I had the time and as it was going to be FOWLR predator tank so I figured I could use the extra filtration. And it did cycle...for weeks!

    However the other time was when I upgraded my tank to a bigger one and was going to put all my old rock in the tank and I had corals and fish that needed to get transferred.
     
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  10. OnefishTwofish

    OnefishTwofish Feather Star

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    Western NY
    Are you happy with the Oolite? what grain size is it? Just curious - do your "diggers" like it? (ie: pistol shrimp and other burrowers)
     
  11. marlinman

    marlinman Zoanthid

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    Exactly! That's the way I did it with my 120g to 210g move.
    I like to put eggcrate down on the bottom of my tank to protect the glass from an avalanche.
     
  12. marlinman

    marlinman Zoanthid

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    I would say that they would love it. It is a fine grain. My diamond goby loves it.