How to clean old sand

[M3AN ONE]

How to clean old sand I was thinking of going bare bottom but relized I would be able to see all my plumbing under the tank and am a little reluctent to stick to my original plan.

The previous owner I had puchased my 150 gallon sump had about 3 inches sand bed and at present I have the sand sitting in a bucket of salt water with an airstone in it. How will I clean the sand to change it back to a lighter tan instead of its current darker brown?

 

[bjohanson1234]

What kind of sand is it?

I have never seen aragonite be a dark brown. Is it normal play sand or pool filter sand?

If so, I wouldn't use either in a salt tank.

If it is as dirty as you say, I would probably bite the bullet and get new sand.

As for washing it, take a garden hose and run it in the bucket until the water is coming out clear.

 

[M3AN ONE]

Where to buy crushed coral sand? and how much would I need for a 300 gallon less than 1 inch coverage.

 

[reefnoob]

I would not buy crushed coral. They become nitrate factories and you will regret using it very soon. It is very hard to clean, you would be better off going with regular sand.

 

[Smitty]

+1...try to stay away from crushed coral, but bj is correct, just rinse it continuously until the water coming from the sand is clear of any debris. And while it's rinsing, occasionally stir the sand.

 

[grozier]

There are other types of sand that has a close appearance of crushed coral that works with out the nitrates. Wouldn't bother with sugar fine either, it blows all over the place. I had to put some bigger debris to stop it from moving around so much.

 

[charlieB]

CaribSea Dry Aragonite Special Grade Reef Sand

I really like the grain size of this sand, perfect if you want something that won't blow around under strong flow but still fine enough for sand sifters and burrowers to live in. As far as how much you need for your desired thickness, that depends more on the dimensions of the tank rather than the volume (specifically, the area of the bottom)

 

[cvcdrk]

I would highly recommend just getting rid of that sand and getting new stuff. Just regular dry sand will do much better. Just rinse it with RO water first.

No matter how much you wash/rinse the old sand it's still got junk in it. Why bother putting that in your tank? I would just get yourself some really nice white aragonite sand and use that.

 

[M3AN ONE]

Should I get live aragonite sand?

 

[reefnoob]

I think honestly it's a waste of money. They charge more for "live" sand. You don't know how long it's been in the bag. Besides, once you put it in your tank, it won't be long before it becomes live.

 

[cvcdrk]

Yeah live is a huge scam. It's easier to just get the dry plain stuff...you'll end up with less stupid stuff in it and it will be cheaper. Plus it will become live in a matter of days anyway....especially since your tank is already established.