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Silfer
04/08/2015, 07:50 PM
Upgrading my tank from a 200L to 500 in the next few days. The sand in my current tank is only about 2 months old, it's about 2" deep all round.

With it not being that old, could I remove it after existing livestock and live rock has been transferred and give it a wee rinse in some old salt water then just put it straight in the new tank?

Mustang67
04/08/2015, 07:59 PM
Sure can, I would rinse it with the new R/O salt water. Definitely use the old sand.

If you can I would put the live stock with a few pieces your live rock in a 30gallon Rubbermaid container with a power head, heater and a small filter if you have one. Then take the old sand, old live rock, add it to the new tank with R/O water (pre mixed with salt) and let that run for 48 hours before adding your live stock. I am sure your tank is still going to cycle a bit, but the original live rock and sand will help reduce your cycle time.

I am sure there are better ways to go about it, this is just my opinion.

Mustang67
04/08/2015, 08:02 PM
If your tank is healthy I would also use some of the old water. If you put the livestock in the 30Gallon container like I mentioned, I would also add 10% of new water to it. Hope that makes sense.

acrohead500ppm
04/08/2015, 08:05 PM
I would say no, don't reuse old sand.

However, I am sure some DSB guru will tell me I am wrong yada yada yada

I don't care, don not reuse old sand, esp if it has been a static DSB, you will be exposing hypoxic bacteria, it will die off, bunch of DOC released etc etc .
DONT DO IT!
^^^ strictly my .02

Mustang67
04/08/2015, 08:15 PM
I have been reusing old sand for years, I was told it contained good bacteria and was great for helping to cycle a new tank. Just as with my new 300 I took about 90Lbs old sand, rinsed in PH treated R/O water and no issues. But I could be wrong and perhaps lucky. If its been static then I agree and you may not be able to use it or would have to go through a more of a deep wash cycle rinse if you will.

cloak
04/09/2015, 11:05 AM
I would reuse it as well..

CStrickland
04/09/2015, 11:10 AM
I wouldn't reuse "old" sand, or a dsb
I do not think 2" for 2 months is either of those things. I say wee rinse and good to go

ChimolaFish
04/09/2015, 11:15 AM
I don't understand people saying not to use old sand. As long as you clean it like you would any sand you buy, it shouldn't be an issue. I mean, all sand is 'old sand'. Just clean it well. All of the sand in my 115 is 'old' but I cleaned it real well and treated it like sand I just bought. Now if there's fish in the aquarium already, I would add it slow over time to mitigate as much of a cycle as that would cause.

CStrickland
04/09/2015, 11:22 AM
I don't understand people saying not to use old sand. As long as you clean it like you would any sand you buy, it shouldn't be an issue. I mean, all sand is 'old sand'. Just clean it well. All of the sand in my 115 is 'old' but I cleaned it real well and treated it like sand I just bought. Now if there's fish in the aquarium already, I would add it slow over time to mitigate as much of a cycle as that would cause.

The idea is that the sand has likely bound nutrients. In particular phosphate. It's like how people "cook" old rock before they add it to the tank, aragonite sand being tiny pieces of rock. You can rinse the crud off, but to "cook" sand would be more trouble than it's worth.

Mustang67
04/09/2015, 11:55 AM
For old static sand, I just take it out, out it in a a large rubber maid bin, grab a hose turn it on and swish the sand around with my hands. Watch all the nasty brown waste begin to surface. Then pick it up and poor off the top waste. I repeat the process until it starts to run more on the clear or light tan in color. Then I poor in some tap water conditioner, swish around one last time. Empty the water and put the sand in the tank. Perhaps I have been lucky for the past 23 years.

If its coming out of a healthy tank, I just rinse with some fresh R/O Salt mix and then drain the water and add the sand to the tank. Just did this with my 300DD, here is a current photo. Tank is 3 weeks old today.

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag120/mustang4278mustang67/20150409_134243_zpsuwhwo8z3.jpg (http://s1301.photobucket.com/user/mustang4278mustang67/media/20150409_134243_zpsuwhwo8z3.jpg.html)

http://i1301.photobucket.com/albums/ag120/mustang4278mustang67/20150409_134233_zpsat5iouqd.jpg (http://s1301.photobucket.com/user/mustang4278mustang67/media/20150409_134233_zpsat5iouqd.jpg.html)

ReefsandGeeks
04/09/2015, 03:45 PM
You could clean the sand like I did to my year old DSB. I removed the top 3 inches from 1/3rd of the tank at a time. put it in a bucket and removed any snails or good stuff I saw. Then, It was off to the tub for cleaning. I rinced the snad a dozen or so times untill the water remained clean after stiring well. Then, in an effort to remove any built up phosphates, I poured probably 1-2 cups of white vinegar in with the snd and diluted it with 4-6 cups of water. Stired around vigorously for 2 minutes, then rinced again a few times till it ran clear. Then replaced. Waited a few days and did the next section. Didn't cause me any problems. I'd do it again to save money on new sand.

Mustang67
04/09/2015, 04:07 PM
you could clean the sand like i did to my year old dsb. I removed the top 3 inches from 1/3rd of the tank at a time. Put it in a bucket and removed any snails or good stuff i saw. Then, it was off to the tub for cleaning. I rinced the snad a dozen or so times untill the water remained clean after stiring well. Then, in an effort to remove any built up phosphates, i poured probably 1-2 cups of white vinegar in with the snd and diluted it with 4-6 cups of water. Stired around vigorously for 2 minutes, then rinced again a few times till it ran clear. Then replaced. Waited a few days and did the next section. Didn't cause me any problems. I'd do it again to save money on new sand.

+1