sand bed

[asherah]

I really don't like the way my sand bed is... when I was first setting it up I didnt k now anything about it so I actually put gravel underneath the sand.I froget why. =p
Anyway.. it looks awful ..I like the smooth sand. Could I add more sand to the bottom? Would it kill my snails by burying them? Would hurt the fish at all from the cloudy water?
Thanks alot
asherah

[asherah]

Bump.....!

[Bob I]

There is one thing you will find. The coarser gravel will find its way to the top. To keep it looking good you have to get rid of the gravel.:sad: As far as I can see it will all have to come out, and be replaced by straight sand. I say that because in my tank even years after adding sugar sized sand there is still crushed coral coming to the top.

[Ruth]

Ashera I agree with Bob I think you are not going to like it unless you pull the whole thing out and get rid of the gravel. I don't think the cloudy water will hurt the snails but not sure about the fish. I would be tempted to pull the fish out until the worst of the cloud dies down. Having said that I am sure that fish can probably handle the sand in the water as the ocean definately gets cloudy near the reef when there is a storm so it's really your choice.

[Bob I]

Absolutely true. Cloudy water will not in any way hurt the fish. i have done it many, many times.:biggrin:

[asherah]

How will I get all the sand out ? Just scoop it ?
thanks
asherah

[Ruth]

How long has your tank been set up?
You can scoop some but probably the easiest way is to syphon it out with water changes. Maybe take it out over a month or so with about 1/4 each time. Or else you can take everything, rocks, fish, coral, water etc. out and then use a wet dry vacume to take it all out then add your water, rocks, sand and fish and corals back in.
If your tank has been set up for a while watch out for a cycle with disturbing the sand/gravel bed like that.

[Bob I]

Yes. if you do it carefully you won't make too much of a mess, but it will still be an ugly job.:sad:

[asherah]

Well it's not a very big tank and the sand bed isn't very deep at all. Maybe 1/2 an inch. It's been setup for a few months now I think.
asherah

[reeferaddict]

My first tank was set up like yours, and I too wanted just sugar sand... I actually ended up sifting the sand through a net to separate the coarse stuff out of it.... took me a few hours as I had over 125 lbs total... but I ended up with what I wanted... I sifted the sand in a bucket of change water to minimize particulates floating in the main tank... it STILL ended up real cloudy!

[geopod]

I agree with Bob...(yes my tank looks yellow now thanks) Anyways.... The crushed coral came through my white aragnite sand bed. After 7 months.

george

[asherah]

phew well i'm glad I don't have a ton of snails or critters =p
I ended up scooping alot of it and sifting with my hands to find any snails=p
I used my h and to reach under the rocks in the front to pull out any gravel.. I don't think I can't got all of it but I got most of it.
Near the end I was like hey lets use the net... duhhh
sheesh
I'm going to let it settle some and see how it is. Get any I missed wit the net.
asherah

[Bob I]

phew well i'm glad I don't have a ton of snails or critters =p
I ended up scooping alot of it and sifting with my hands to find any snails=p
I used my h and to reach under the rocks in the front to pull out any gravel.. I don't think I can't got all of it but I got most of it.
Near the end I was like hey lets use the net... duhhh
sheesh
I'm going to let it settle some and see how it is. Get any I missed wit the net.
asherah

Well you got in there, and got your hands wet, but you had fun in the process. Right:question:

[asherah]

lol I took the time to scrub the rocks to because I was sick of looking at cyano =p Maybe it'll help? Who knows.
On the upside ! My 92 is all settled yay. =)
Now if the rocks would get here.
asherah