changing sand

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not if there are pockets deep in the sand where the sifting critters are.

the sand sifting critters only sift and live in the first inch or so of sand
 
A dsb should really be utilized in a sump. If you are using it in a tank it's really not as hard as you think. A good cuc sand sifting starfish ....etc. And some fish that stirring the bed will help reduce the risk of dead spots. Dead spuds occurs when let's say a. Trench is dug out then a bunch of wast or food is trapped and gets covered. If you are going to have a reef I would recommend a dsb. Just make sure you siphon only the top, do not disturb the lower 2 inches of sand. You should have no prob. Yes it can crash a tank...but if you do the research and keep up with your weekly maintenance you will achieve one of the best biological filters.
 
an external DSB is only good just incase soemthign happens you can remove it quickly and easily, in the long run the system is better off with a full DSB it removes the most amount of polutants rather then the smaller area that an in sump DSB does
 
Gti_Leo said:
an external DSB is only good just incase soemthign happens you can remove it quickly and easily, in the long run the system is better off with a full DSB it removes the most amount of polutants rather then the smaller area that an in sump DSB does

That's pretty much the exact reason I was thinking about. Even though they are smaller if anything happens or there is a need to change out sand. You can do this without crashing the system. It all depends on what you want to keep in your tank. If you want a fowlr it's prob not needed. A full reef with sump and everything.... Yes I would add one.the purpose of a dsb is to get rid or nitrates into nitrogen gas. An alternative is to use lots of macro algae in a sump.... Not as affective but gets the job done.

Also your question on the 1.5 in sand bed. Don't worry it is perfectly fine. Dsb run from 3in to 6in and deeper. Just keep good current in your tank.
 
ok so i bought some PFS at the local here are some pics i sent $7.00 for a 50 lbs bag
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what do u guys think will this work good for me ?
What do u guys recommend i do to clean it ?

tia everybody
 
I have 250lbs of pool filter sand to clean too. it was suggested putting it in a pillowcase and rinsing it that way. :-D
 
ya carey i think i read about the in your 125 build thread. is what i got the same as what u are using??

i wonder if the pillow case will trap any unwanted stuff
 
It looks very similar. I'm sure theres probably not much difference other than labeling. I planned on tossing the pillowcase when I was done to be honest....I'm sure theres all sorts of stuff it will catch from the sand
 
ok so i put the sand in a 18 gallon tote and have a hose in there cleaning the sand. im using tap water so should i let it dry out before putting it in my tank? or can i just wait till it fully drains?
 
I think it will be fine going in wet. Just try to get it as clean as possible cause it will cloud your tank up something fierce. :-D
 
Eh it's kinda up to you. It's not going to harm your tank if it is a little damp. The things you should check are temp and salinity because the cold ish sand can cause the temp to lower and the tap water could lower your salinity. I never let mine dry out. Just pored as much of the standing water out and put it in. Everything went well in my tank.
 
ok do u think draining the tank mostly out then replacing the sand and then filling the tank back up would be a good idea. i have 2 more 25 gallon totes i could put my water in for a short amount of time while scooping the old gravel out and putting the new sand in

and yes i will probably let the sand rinse for a good 2 hours before putting it in.. it have been rinsing for about 35 min now and it really starting to clear up :)
 
Na you don't need to drain the tank. Best way to do it is to take your fish net and scoop up the sand. Lower the net and sand to the bottom of the tank. Another way is to get a PVC pipe and a funnel and pour the sand down the pipe to the bottom of the tank. These methods will significantly reduce cloudy water.
 
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