upgrading tank, changing substrate

poolshark181

Reefing newb
im upgrading from a 28 to a 40. im changing the substrate, but was wondering if i needed to get arag alive substrate or if dry substrate will be ok and not start a cycle. im afraid dry sand will bring another cycle, is this the case?
 
You can get new dry sand and save afew cups from your old tank. Or save afew cups from your smaller tank and rinse the rest out and add more new stuff to get the amount you want.
 
Transfer the sand & water from your old tank to the new one. Dont rinse the old sand.

You can add new dry sand which you should rinse first but if you're transferring the old sand, dont rinse it.
 
i would not clean the sand. it will help in seeding the new sand when you add some. hopefull it will only make a mini cycle at most.
 
i also read that some people use a pound per gallon of water. however, if my calculations are right, this would be about a 2" thick layer of sand. is this right? im not sure i want two inches. plus, i'd like a definitive answer on the cycle question i had about changing with dry substrate. thanks
 
I was just saying to rinse it because I just read on RC that you should rinse your sand bed to prevente a cycle while moving. If you stir up the old sand and get that crap in the water I think you will have a cycle for sure. Rinsing the sand and cleaning it would be just like adding new sand. If you do rinse save some of yours and ask other people for a cup of their sand. This will help with the amount of critters. Just my 2cents.
 
You can use however much sand you like.But it would be a good idea to use as much of the sand your already as possible.
It probably will cause a cycle,but with already established sand,it should be small and not last very long.
 
Is there a reason for not using the sand from the other tank?Yes,using live sand will reduce the chances of starting another cycle.No one can really answer if it will start a cycle again or not with complete certainty.Usually on standard size tanks one pound of sand will give you a two inch sandbed.Use less if you prefer.
 
Old sand from an established tank will contain beneficial bacteria that will help prevent another cycle, but it can also contain crap and deritus that can start another cycle if stirred up. In a healthy tank with a good cleaner crew, there shouldn't be enough crap in the sand to start a substantial cycle if it's disturbed. So if I were you, I would use old sand without rinsing it off. Rinsing it will kill off the beneficial bacteria.
 
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