replaced the sandbed

[noeldokken]

Well I spent all of last night tearing down my 75 gallon. My pervious cheapo sandbed turned all black on the bottom and smelled like rotting crap. I think it was due to lack of critters and water movement. I did save a scoop full of the sand from the other sand bed so I can seed the new one. Now I have to let it cycle again Man is this a lot of work!! My critters and live rock are in a 25 gallon rubbermaid tub with a heater and two powerheads. I lost one fish so far, and that was one of my firefish . I am replacing the sand with the arragonite sand that we had a group order on back in april or May, I cant remember. I'll be sure to post a few pics when this is all done.

[David Grigor]

If you don't have any go to petco and get one of those little red containers of biozyme ( costs about $3 ). This will help speed and minimize the spikes for very little cost and as a little insurance for your holding tank......

[JnS]

cheapo as in silica sand from menards or home depot?
how deep was your sand bed?

[noeldokken]

home depot. It was pretty deep, perhaps like 5 inches. There wasl ike over 100 lbs of sand. I only have 80 lbs right now and it is a comfortable 3 inches.

[noeldokken]

I have good news and bad news. My tank finanlly filled up last night with RO water (including the 25 gallon sump). I mixed in the salt water and let that mix for the night. I checked temperature and salinity, and it matched the water int he tub. I added live sand from the other sand bed (about a cup) and put two pieces of live rock in it to get the cycling a jump start. The water is just beginning to clear up from adding the sand. I have a prefilter on the overflow, I have a filter going, and the filter sponge on the return pump. The bad news, I woke up thism orning to find my yellow tang dead . I think he died of stress, since it was a dramatic change in its environment. 75 gallons of non stop freedom to a 25 gallon tub. I'm going to miss the fellow. I guess I get some new fish!