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#1
10-22-2008, 01:12 AM
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Changing substrate
Does any one know if your sustrate should be replaced at anytime? Mine is 3 years old. Should I scoop out the old and replace it? Will this have an effect on my water quality?
Thanks
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The Electric eel 70 gal, Allglass sump,Mag 7 return, 3 seiko 620s, 80lb LR, coralife skimmer, 2-250 watt MH, 2- waffle fans, 3-Damsels, Clown warsse, 2-clowns,Brittle stars,2-Cleaner srimps, Pom Pom crab, Red Lobster,2-BTAs, colt coral, Toad stool leather, Kenya tree, Assortment of mushrooms, Assortment of polops. 
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#2
10-22-2008, 01:16 AM
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It is up to you whether you would like to change the substrate, but after 3 years I would be inclined to. It can trap lots of nasty stuff like phosphates.
Be very careful replacing it though, because disturbing it could release harmful gases into the aquarium. I would reccommend replacing small portions at a time, maybe 1/3 at a time. If its fine enough to siphon out I would do it that way, since then you minimize the release of gases. And then just scoop in the new stuff. I would wait a couple weeks in between substrate removal sessions.  -Diana
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#3
10-22-2008, 08:06 AM
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I thought a deep sand bed acts like a filter system of its own, I didn’t realize someone would want to replace it..isn't it like wine, only gets better in time?
When I first bought my 90g tank I added really fine sand and even after a few months of it running, it would blow up into the water very easily so I bought larger sand to throw on top of it ones, and I had to add like a cup a day, made such a mess of my tank - now I have like a 4-5”sand bed Mine has been in my tank for about 4years now, I am not worried about it, if you want to keep it clean get a fish that filters the sand or sand shifting star fish, something that moves it around and finds food in it to eat, but I hate those guys…once I bought a horseshoe crab  that I got rid of rather fast since he threw so much sand on my rocks.
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