Crushed coral and live sand

M

marineman

Member
Hi All,

I have a 75 gallon tank with live rock, underground filter and a regular filter. I know undergravel filters are ancient and not reccommended. My question is has anyone every put live sand on top of the crushed coral. I have about 3 inches of crused coral and want to put the live sand on top of the crushed coral and shut the under gravel filter down.
 
ReefLady

ReefLady

Well-Known Member
Staff member
IME, the largest particles of sand will always eventually rise to the surface (of the substrate).
If I were you, I'd try to remove as much crushed coral as possible - it does trap dirt/detritus, which will impact your water parameters.
 
Basile

Basile

Well-Known Member
ReefLady said:
IME, the largest particles of sand will always eventually rise to the surface (of the substrate).
If I were you, I'd try to remove as much crushed coral as possible - it does trap dirt/detritus, which will impact your water parameters.
Click to expand...

I second that, thats why i was asking how old his tank was. If ts just starting take that crush coral out.Big jod ahead.:hammerhea
 
M

marineman

Member
My tank is about 10 years old. If I hear everyone correctly you are saying remove all the crushed coral and the undergravel filter and then put the sand in. Everyone is also saying that it would not hurt the tank because it is established, correct? Can I add the sand with my fish in there or take them out.

You people are the best, Thank you for your input
 
DrHank

DrHank

Well-Known Member
I would suggest that before you start to remove the crushed coral and the undergravel filter you remove all your livestock. You can siphon water from your tank into several large trashcans and put your livestock and live rock in as well. I always use one can for water and fish and another for water and live rock.

Once I have that done, I remove as much residual water as possible and then go to the task of removing the coral, undergravel filter. Finally, I rinse the tank out with freshwater and then start to reset. New sand, water, rock, livestock, etc.

The reason that you don't want any livestock in the tank when you pull the UG plate is that there could be a pocket of trapped hydrogen sulfide gas trapped in the substrate. It would only take about one bubble to wipe out everything in the tank.

Best of luck.
 
Basile

Basile

Well-Known Member
When doing big jobs like your about to do alway spare your livestock of shock by removing them. DrHank is right about pocket of gas that could possibly kill your livestock. Good luck.
 
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