Swapping cc with sand

[grozier]

my question is I have a 65 gallon with crushed coral and I'm wanting to swap it out with sand. what would be the best way to go about that can I just take the crushed coral out an ad the sand or do I need to do it in segments? also do I buy live sand or the dry sand? I've got about 25 pounds of live rock in about another 10 pounds that's turning into live rock and the tank is been up and going for a year now.

how do you clean a tank with sand? when I do my water changes with crushed coral I suck out all the junk that's in the crushed coral.

 

[chichimom79]

What kind of inhabitants are in there? Nevermind, it's in your signature...duh. It would probably be best to siphon the cc out a bit at a time during water changes and replace when everything is out of there. If you disturb the whole sandbed at once it could release a bunch of nasty stuff. Once you get the sand replaced allow the clean up crew to clean it and keep it stirred. You will want nassarius snails and some ceriths for that job. You shouldn't have to disturb it yourself at all. Hope that helps.

 

[grozier]

do I use the dry sand that people talk over or getting live sand be the best option. and from what I read I don't really need to take the fish out do I?

 

[chichimom79]

You don't need to take the fish out. Dry or live is fine. Make sure you rinse the dry very well. Just put the new sand in a cup, slowly lower to the bottom and pour. This will minimize cloudiness in the tank but you will still get a little.

 

[grozier]

Sounds easy enough.

 

[Smitty]

+1 Chichi...she's got you covered.

 

[Ted]

Can use a pvc pipe to get the new sand in as well helps contain the dust storm. The wet "live" sand is a rip off in my opinion.

 

[grozier]

Thats what iI've been hearing about the live sand. I think next week when I do my water change i'm going to swap out the crushed coral and go with sand. Any suggestions on what type of sand ?

 

[Ted]

I used black sand got it at Petco is there brand. Love the look, other then that any of the "normal" ooloite sand is good. Here is a link to the black Petco Black Aquarium Sand at PETCO here is the link to the white.Nature's Ocean Marine White Sand at PETCO The plain tan kinda looks like cement to me in the tank and I just dont like the look.

 

[grozier]

They say use 2lbs. of sand forevery gallon?

 

[Ted]

Bah...they want you to buy more bags...A inch on the bottom is fine. I bought two bags when I did my tank set up and ended up taking one back. Only used 3/4 of one bag. I put the rock straight on the glass and filled in around it with sand.

 

[Bifferwine]

1 lb per gallon usually works out okay for sand. But that depends a lot on if you have a tall tank, or a long tank, etc.

 

[grozier]

36"l X18"w

 

[grozier]

When swapping out the cc with sand do I try to leave the bristle worms or let them repopulate? The cc hasn't been sifted through in awhile also will that be a problem when I remove it or should I take the fish out?
I'm goin to do a good water change at that time can I just suck it out with my sucker thingy, then scoop out the cc when I'm done? I've list enough fish in the past so I don't want to wipe the tank clean

 

[chichimom79]

Leave the fish in but only take out a little of the crushed coral per water change. You don't want to stir up everything at once. Could be catastrophic. Don't worry about the bristles. Leave em in or suck them out. They will repopulate

 

[little_fish]

+1 Chichi