CC<---->Sand...Converting

[Christine22780]

What would be the best way to make my CC tank into a sand bed? I could keep all the water in buckets with the fish, BUT the sand will tank a day or so to settle and I dont want to shock, or make my fish stressed.. How would I do that??

 

[CaptainAhab]

what's in the tank right now (livestock/LR/inverts/etc)

 

[Christine22780]

Just Fish;
Niger Trigger
Sailfin Tang
Spotted Grouper
They all get along quite well too.

 

[CaptainAhab]

well.. I have a friend (who shall remain nameless) who took a shopvac (bought a new hose) fired it up and sucked it out 1/3 at a time. Coincidentally it also set him up for half of his PWC to be done. Did the whole thing till he was barebottom then added the sand back in after rinsing it cup x cup x cup. No muss, no fuss, no mess in the tank. I was skeptical at first but it went like a charm.

BTW: a small sandstorm will not harm your fish in anyway. IMO

 

[Christine22780]

How would I put the water in without creating a LARGE SAND STORM? I know I could put something in for the water to skim off of but the sand is so soft, Its going to go up like a tornado!!!

 

[CaptainAhab]

You mean when you do PWC's? I use a powerhead with a hose on the end in my bucket. Clip the other end to the tank and point it at the glass. As with small children do not leave unattended

To get rid of your sand storm if you get one : If you have a HOB or canister filter laying around (or both or multiples)... loaded em up w/ filter floss and let then run..Will take some time but that way most of it won't settle on your LR , etc.. Then you have to blow it off there and it's back in the water column to begin with. You were plannin on putting the sand in wet correct?

 

[Christine22780]

Im not talking about PWC's at all..

Just taking my old crushed coral out, and then laying down sand and putting my old water and fish back. I hate how much junk the cc holds in it. I have sand on my other tank and like the look better anyway.

I usually put it in dry, lol.. I should rinse it and add it slowly? Then how do I put the water in slowly to not create a storm? The only reason I dont want a cloud is b/c I HAVE to put my 3 fish back in ASAP. Thanx for the help!

 

[CaptainAhab]

If you're considering the shopvac method you do that w/ everything in the tank. Water fish everything.. just stick it in like a FW gravel vac and suck it out into the shopvac then empty the vac (take the shopvac filter out first).

If not then you have to be carefull to scoop it out by hand without stirring everything up

it's the same method I use to clean my UGF in my FW. Hook it up to the uplift tube(s) and power vacum under the base plate.

 

[melosu58]

You could siphon it out with a plastic hose. I`ve seen it done that way. When you do a PWC just siphon out the CC and then add the new SW back in. Then take the new sand and run it down a piece of PVC and it will slide down to the area you just cleaned up. Not much of a sandstorm.

 

[dld65]

I just did what you are asking about and I had no problems with a sandstorm when I took out the coral and put in the sand. After getting great advice from people on here, I decided to do it one quarter of my tank at a time. Now my tank is only 40 gallons so each section was fairly small. I only had three fish in the tank when I did it but they were fine during the ordeal. First I took a new dishpan and filled it 2/3rds of the way full with pool filter sand. I went outside and rinsed and rinsed the heck out of the sand in the dishpan. I drained the water the best I could since I had used tap water and let it sit to dry out somewhat. The next day I used a plastic cup and scooped out the coral from the back corner of the tank. I did have to do some rearranging of my live rock since I knew I would be moving it around for the next few weeks. I tried to put the main pieces on the bottom in each section as I did the change in that area so I could put the rock on the bottom of the tank and put in the sand around it. Anyhow, after scooping out the crushed coral I then used another plastic cup and took a scoop of the cleaned and still damp sand. I gently lowered the cup into the water over the area I was filling so that any sand that spilled out of the cup went where I wanted it and not on the rock. When the water fills the cup of sand, you will get a little spillage but not much if you do it slowly enough.
By doing it this way, I had virtually no cloudiness to my water while the sand settled. I simply took the cup down to the bottom and dumped it out and went for a refill.
I had read the other ideas of using a baggie or a piece of pipe but the cup was super easy and also I think would be easier to refill than the baggie idea. It just takes a little longer I'm sure since I used a 12 oz cup. The tube idea on here is a great one too, I was just too lazy to go and get a piece of plastic tubing!
Regardless of my good intentions, I got carried away on week 2 and ended up doing almost the entire left side of my tank. I was afraid I would get a mini cycle but my levels stayed at 0 and I never had a problem. So I ended up doing the changeover in 3 weeks instead of 4. As recommended on here though, you should probably stick to only a quarter of the tank at a time so you don't end up with a mini-cycle.

 

[dld65]

Forgot to clarify- I did let all my fish and live rock in the tank during the changeover- the fish just hid on the other side while I was working but they were fine with being in the tank. I didn't take any water out either, I waited until the next day to do a partial water change after I was sure everything had settled.

 

[roka64]

I did 1/4 of my tank at the time. My tank was fully stocked. I piled up my LR on one side, and scooped it right out. I actually had CC and sand so I used a strainer to keep the sand. When I added the new rinsed sand, I put the sand in a tupperware bowl and slowly let it sink to the bottom of the tank and slowly poured it out.
I had a few nipped fins but no other damage.
I would also suggest extra PWC be available.

 

[Christine22780]

I like the idea of lowering a tupperware its larger than a cup. Now if I do it in 1/4s the sand will not blend with the crushed coral? My fish are going to love me doing that. I do have a large tube, but I think Ill try the tupperware.
1/2 My battle will be easier just by making the sand wet, which Ive really never done..Its always been in a new tank with nothing in it.

Im going to try doing this..Hopefully by next week when I have the time. I just got a new kitten that needs all my spare time, (nevermind the kids!)

 

[roka64]

Just lower the sand into the tank, trust me, it will get wet. It is definitely better if you rinse the sand a few time to remove the smaller particles.

 

[melosu58]

Im going to try doing this..Hopefully by next week when I have the time. I just got a new kitten that needs all my spare time, (nevermind the kids!)

Good luck. I hope all goes well.

 

[Christine22780]

Thanx! I keep very busy with all of these animals, and SW tanks I have going.

So, I can siphon up the CC instead of scooping it out, by the time Im done with all the CC is all my water going to be gone? I think doing it 1/4 at a time is a great idea. I dont have much CC in there though..just a FINE layer on the whole bottom..

I did just move this tank afew months ago.