Replacing all of sand in a full reef ??

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

I have read that the TOTM repolaces all of his sand every few weeks. I am wondering if this is an advised practice?
I have a .75"-1" shallow sand bed.
**How can you put new sand into an existing tank without irritating corals and causing a sand storm??

[seamay]

very slowly and deliberateley. I changed out all my crushed coral (nitrate trap) to a oolitic dsb. If you are just adding sand I would try to put it in a small comntainer with a lid and bring a little bit at a time to the areas and release the lid. if you are using oolitic there will still be a definite sand storm but it will be minimized this way. I would not recomend doing this often cause it will stress out your corals. pick a day, add your sand, let it settle down a bit (mabey shut off the powerheads while doing it) dust off the corals and rock gently and you should be ok. at least this is how I did it. I added 30 lbs oolitic at a time(slowly and about 3 weeks apart). good luck

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

and I should replace the ssb every few weeks??

[mikeatjac]

I see no reason to replace you sand every three weeks.

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

what time frame is advisable to replace a ssb ?

[Joboo]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6722248#post6722248 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by E-A-G-L-E-S
and I should replace the ssb every few weeks??


The TOTM owner relaces the sand periodically. I can only imagine what a PIA it is! I wouldn't think this is a common practice although I'm sure people do it. Not sure of the long term effects of doing something like this.

[DrBDC]

You would need to rinse the small particals off and have a lower flow level plus use a larger grain size substrate as well. I wouldn't do over 25% or so every couple weeks or every month. There's a benefit to the fauna that develops even in a ssb and if you did it all you would lose all of it.

[mikeatjac]

I would replace it only if you thought it was dirty. Maybe once a year maybe never. I know of no one that does it.

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

it seems very clean as i have tweaked my flow to speed up slow areas....so maybe i should just let it go.

[seamay]

Ive never heard of replacing the ssb or dsb. adding to or sifting through mabey

[AcroSteve]

I just replaced about 25% of my ssb. I was getting some cyano that I vaccumed out. Due to the fact that I have read that several TOTM's practice this, and it makes sense to me, I bought some new 1-2mm arragonite.

I sucked it out using a straight pice of 1/2" pvc whith a hose attached. I put the new sand back in buy making a drop tube using 2" pvc and some 45 elbows. I also fabricated a rouch funnel shape at the top to ease entry of the sand into the tube. This allows placement of the sand directly on the tank bottom.