Adding sand to a tank that has already cycled

Saltwater Noob · 04-11-2007, 06:40 PM

Hey I have another ?

I have about 50lbs of LS I think I need about 20 more lbs will it hurt my tank to add 20 more pounds that it has been up for a little over a month and already has stuff living in it and has cycled

?

Dragon Wrasse · 04-11-2007, 06:50 PM

You should have no trouble adding another 20 or 25 pounds...over time in a established tank the arginonite (sp) level will lower and more will have to be added. I end up adding 10 to 15 pounds a year to my deep sandbed in order to keep the depth at 4 inches.....go for it...

rDr4g0n · 04-11-2007, 07:01 PM

i recently added about 10 - 15 lbs of sand. i wasnt careful enough and it created quite a sand storm, but after a day or so it all settled and everyone was fine. i used a syringe to squirt water onto my liverock and corals to get the sand off of them.

lcstorc · 04-11-2007, 07:10 PM

Other than creating a sandstorm you should be fine. Try putting a bowl upside down in the bottom of the tank and pour the sand over the bowl. This helps a bit.

Saltwater Noob · 04-11-2007, 07:17 PM

I was going to put it in a bowl a little at a time sink the bowl then turn it over and dump the sand to avoid the storm

rDr4g0n · 04-11-2007, 08:44 PM

i rinsed my sand in ro/di water, then scooped cups of it out. when i placed it in the tank, the cup contained the sand for the most part until i poured it onto the bottom. i got a little impatient pouring cup after cup, and ended up hurrying too much and making a mess.

arkanov85 · 04-11-2007, 08:59 PM

The method I use to add new sand is turn all power heads off and then I put new sand into a zip lock bag and open it at the bottom of the tank by the sand, this method clouds the least my water.

bluespotjawfish · 04-11-2007, 09:46 PM

Be careful not to suffocate your existing sand bed.

04-11-2007, 06:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Saltwater Noob I'm Learning Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New Port Richey, Fl Posts: 367 View Gallery Karma Komment	Adding sand to a tank that has already cycled Hey I have another ? I have about 50lbs of LS I think I need about 20 more lbs will it hurt my tank to add 20 more pounds that it has been up for a little over a month and already has stuff living in it and has cycled ? __________________ 65 gal Reef Tank 8 gal sump aquaC remora Skimmer w MJ 1200 pump Hydro #3 for flow MJ1200 for flow Current Extreme Pro 6 Bulb T5 Setup Live Stock Yellow Tang - Six Line - Clown - and about 50 red leg hermits - 25 snails - 2 star fish and 2 cucumbers. Corals zoo's and GSP and shrooms surge return pump

04-11-2007, 06:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Dragon Wrasse Harlequin Tuskfish Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 991 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Adding sand to a tank that has already cycled You should have no trouble adding another 20 or 25 pounds...over time in a established tank the arginonite (sp) level will lower and more will have to be added. I end up adding 10 to 15 pounds a year to my deep sandbed in order to keep the depth at 4 inches.....go for it... __________________ *Member "Crabs Are Evil" Society* "A wise man learns more from a foolish question, then a fool learns from a wise answer" - Bruce Lee _____________________________ 75 gal SeaClear II Reef Tank (softy tank) - Coralife 125 Super Skimmer - Little Giant 2-MDQX-SC - Angstrom 2537 UV 15W - HOB Refugium - Eheim Pro 2228 - Red Sea Wave Maker w/Maxi-Jet 600 (X4) - 100 lbs Live Sand (DSB) - 100 lbs Live Rock - 260W PC lighting - 470nm lunar lights (X15) - AquaController II Custom 75 gal Starphire glass tank (SPS/LPS tank) - Custom 24 gal Refugium - Tuzne Wave box - JBJ Chiller - 390W PC lighting - 175W MH (X2) - Knop Cal. Reactor - AquaController 3 Pro - Aqua C Skimmer - Phosban Reactor - 18W Turbo-twist UV sterilizer - Sump - Sony Computer 5 gal Nano Hospital Tank - Eheim 2213 - Red Sea Prizm Skimmer - Live sand - Live Rock - Built in Refugium - 36W PC lighting

04-11-2007, 07:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
rDr4g0n Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: south texas Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Adding sand to a tank that has already cycled i recently added about 10 - 15 lbs of sand. i wasnt careful enough and it created quite a sand storm, but after a day or so it all settled and everyone was fine. i used a syringe to squirt water onto my liverock and corals to get the sand off of them. __________________ I know there are quite a few typos in this post. It's not that I'm stupid... it's more like... I'm lazy. - John My 29 Gallon tank of AWESOME My DIY Projects: My $50, 150watt lighting • 10 gallon tall tank • Hood for my 10gal. tall my r0xx0r DIY protein skimmer • 2 cheap strip lights into 1 • Grow cyano!?

04-11-2007, 07:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,433 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Adding sand to a tank that has already cycled Other than creating a sandstorm you should be fine. Try putting a bowl upside down in the bottom of the tank and pour the sand over the bowl. This helps a bit. __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

04-11-2007, 07:17 PM	#5 (permalink)
Saltwater Noob I'm Learning Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: New Port Richey, Fl Posts: 367 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Adding sand to a tank that has already cycled I was going to put it in a bowl a little at a time sink the bowl then turn it over and dump the sand to avoid the storm __________________ 65 gal Reef Tank 8 gal sump aquaC remora Skimmer w MJ 1200 pump Hydro #3 for flow MJ1200 for flow Current Extreme Pro 6 Bulb T5 Setup Live Stock Yellow Tang - Six Line - Clown - and about 50 red leg hermits - 25 snails - 2 star fish and 2 cucumbers. Corals zoo's and GSP and shrooms surge return pump

04-11-2007, 08:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
rDr4g0n Elegance coral Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: south texas Posts: 1,169 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: Adding sand to a tank that has already cycled i rinsed my sand in ro/di water, then scooped cups of it out. when i placed it in the tank, the cup contained the sand for the most part until i poured it onto the bottom. i got a little impatient pouring cup after cup, and ended up hurrying too much and making a mess. __________________ I know there are quite a few typos in this post. It's not that I'm stupid... it's more like... I'm lazy. - John My 29 Gallon tank of AWESOME My DIY Projects: My $50, 150watt lighting • 10 gallon tall tank • Hood for my 10gal. tall my r0xx0r DIY protein skimmer • 2 cheap strip lights into 1 • Grow cyano!?

04-11-2007, 08:59 PM	#7 (permalink)
arkanov85 Tubeworm Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 30 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Adding sand to a tank that has already cycled The method I use to add new sand is turn all power heads off and then I put new sand into a zip lock bag and open it at the bottom of the tank by the sand, this method clouds the least my water.

04-11-2007, 09:46 PM	#8 (permalink)
bluespotjawfish Tridacna maxima Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Utah Posts: 4,943 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: Adding sand to a tank that has already cycled Be careful not to suffocate your existing sand bed. __________________ Lorraine To BB and all Bluespots - Journey of the 2nd Year ...The 2nd Year - Photoshow Check out Mr. BJ and friends... Mr. BJ's Aquarium - PhotoShow Please Donate to the American Cancer Society: http://main.acsevents.org/goto/lorrainerichards

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