Swapping out bad substrate after initial tank cycle

[drozhenbane]

Ok as three90s&125sump suggested... I am starting a new thread for this subject.

The topic is being foolish enough to fall for sales gimmicks, and purchasing live sand that wasn't sand at all, but crushed shells. Doing so while the tank has already cycled, and livestock added without killing anything in a best case scenario.

1:
What kind of substrate to use?
*Already mentioned was .5-2MM substrate, while mixing in a 3 for 1 ratio of oolitic sand (Sugar Grain Size).

2:
Should the crushed shells be mixed in the batch? For say calcium buffering/aesthetically pleasing traits/ or possibly to give the hermits something to play with?

3:
HOW?
Will moving all the the live rock to one side of the tank, and slowly mixing and adding the RINSED sand to the tank work? Then moving the rock back as the new substrate is formed work?

OR

Move all inhabitants to a "Surragate Tank" including the live rock, keeping tank parameters, and removing all water from the main tank. Then mixing all of the above, and then filling it new and waiting for a new cycle to finish before adding everyone back in work?

4:
How deep of a bed?
Plenum or not?

[luther1200]

You should try to get the crushed shells out first. Or the finer grains will just keep sinking and the crushed shells will wind up on top. Trust me I know from experience, unfortunately. What I did was siphon out the crushed shells while doing water changes.

[Elegance Coral]

First. Why do you want to change out your sand?

Originally Posted by drozhenbane

Ok as three90s&125sump suggested... I am starting a new thread for this subject.

The topic is being foolish enough to fall for sales gimmicks, and purchasing live sand that wasn't sand at all, but crushed shells. Doing so while the tank has already cycled, and livestock added without killing anything in a best case scenario.

1:
What kind of substrate to use? I use Caribbean sea floor. It doesn't move around in the flow very easy and it's easy to vacuum.
*Already mentioned was .5-2MM substrate, while mixing in a 3 for 1 ratio of oolitic sand (Sugar Grain Size).

2:
Should the crushed shells be mixed in the batch? Do you have a picture of these crushed shells?
For say calcium buffering/aesthetically pleasing traits/ or possibly to give the hermits something to play with?

3:
HOW?
Will moving all the the live rock to one side of the tank, and slowly mixing and adding the RINSED sand to the tank work? Then moving the rock back as the new substrate is formed work?

OR

Move all inhabitants to a "Surragate Tank" including the live rock, keeping tank parameters, and removing all water from the main tank. Then mixing all of the above, and then filling it new and waiting for a new cycle to finish before adding everyone back in work?

4:
How deep of a bed? You can have it at what ever depth you think looks good in your tank.
Plenum or not? No Plenum.

[tdwyatt]

forget the plenum, see some of the threads on "why sandbeds..." in the think tank for more info on this (lots to read).

[drozhenbane]

First. Why do you want to change out your sand?

Because I dont really have "sand" at all I have very roughly crushed sea shells. Basically what my LFS calls live sand is actually a mixture of crushed up sea shells. When I refer to roughly crushed I mean it literally. The average size of a piece is anywhere from 3/4 of an inch (19MM) to 1/8 of an inch (2.5MM). There are even some whole shells of snails and small clams, I even found some pieces of crab pinchers. With most pieces large enough I can identify the shell it came from. While I am sure it is technically seeded with bacteria because it comes from a tank connected to the rest of the water system there. It is still large enough that the detrius just falls below it all causing problems.

As for pics I will try to get some pics posted today, as long as my teenage daughter will surrender the digi-cam long enough for me to snap a few shots. I will never know why the new craze these days is to do the self shot with a camera it looks tacky in my eyes. I mean how hard is it to ask someone to hold the camera for you, and do a decent shot? OK OK OK enough old man father rant.........

I did however think of a good use for the old substrate, but that will be in a different post.

[Elegance Coral]

I don't blame you. I'd want to get rid of that "sand" as well. When you get new sand, don't worry about getting "live" sand. Just get dry dead sand. It's cheaper, cleaner, and will become live in your tank.

[Loverotties]

+1