Feel Like I need to back up a step - my intentions - right ?

[75galsalt]

All is fine with my water, but sand still dirty and I need more sand, been reading about just play sand mixed with my 30 lbs of live sand? I know home depot has sand but concerned not clean enough to add to good cycled water..

so my thought

take live stock place in 10 gal QT tank with a heater (need a small filter?)

use the water from main tank and a couple of pcs of the live rock

remove all live rock and place in large plastic bin

remove 50% of water while I am cleaning the live sand I have

(of course will have water made up in a trash can)

then add the play sand and mix it (careful) with the live sand and live rock then wait till it settles down then add the new salt water

wait a day and test water then place live stock in only if water is right

anything wrong with this?

[Brenden]

anything wrong with this?

Yes
Leave the fish in the tank. Just add the new sand in phases. Use a piece of PVC to place the sand on the bottom without causing a sandstorm. Do a max of 1/3 of the tank wait a week or two and do another third. Try to find aragonite sand. I would not use the play sand. Especially if you ever plan to have gobies etc. If you can not find it without paying $1 a lb at the LFS contact me and I will hook you up.

[melosu58]

I agree with the aragonite sand. Never let me down

[75galsalt]

aragonite sand


interesting.. so should I not be concerned with them breathing in the particals, and I have NO CLUE what this is or where to find it... unless it is the sand I see in lfs for 26$ for 15lbs

[Brenden]

Aragnite sand is basically crushed up base rock. It helps maintain CA, PH, etc You can test sand by putting it in vinegar. If it is aragnite it will foam like alkaseltzer. It is the sand you find at the LFS for "$26 for 15lbs" How much you need? I will sell you 100 lbs for $20 but you have to pick it up in Salisbury. Or possibly meet me at greendale.

[75galsalt]

Brenden


I am open to whatever shoot I will pay you 50.00 to bring it plus the 20.00 to look at my tank and give more advice and show me

it this not the sand some say is too hard on some live stock?

[Brenden]

PM me your phone # and good time to call. I will try to call you over the weekend. "try" I have kids

[75galsalt]

contact made

[Jermz79]

PM = Private Message .... you may want to edit your phone number off your last post.

[xkenneth]

For saltwater the only real choice is aragonite in my newb opinion. I use playsand in some of my quick-change freshwater tanks and that crap is just nasty. I've got a 75gallon that I put play sand / general purpose sand in and after 3 weeks and completely changing the water about 3 times over there is still silt. For your tank about 3/4" of crushed coral and 3/4" or aragonite is optimal. Go to your walmart and buy some panty hose, yes panty hose. Stick them full of the aragonite OR crushed coral. It's better not to mix but layer. Then you can run the aragonite and crushed coral under a tap and get all the crap out. Then of course remove the substrate from the panty hose and place it in your tank.