Live Sand-Before or after Tank Fill

[TeenReefer]

Quick question. Do I put the live sand in after I add the water or before? I have just recently taken all the crushed coral gravel out of my tank and old water, and am starting over with one clown and hermits i have left in another small tank. Thanks for your help.

 

[Phyl]

I'd put it in before the water and then pour the water into a bowl that overflows onto the sand to distribute the waterfall and diminish the disruption to the sand bed. Good luck!

 

[seaham358]

before water then cover sand with large plastic bags and then pour water into tank as phly says... you will have very little sand storm... leave the bags in till your done filling then remove..

 

[melosu58]

I agree with phyl. That`s what I did when I upgraded

 

[Brenden]

If you do decide to add some sand after it is full I would wash it first.

 

[Fluff]

I would add the sand first but, if that's not an option, adding sand through a length of pvc pipe helps to keep the sand storm to a minimum as well. It also gives you the ability to aim the sand where you want it.

 

[Phyl]

We did the PVC pipe thing after adding the eel to the 30 (which has now become a 65). Man was the tank a mess. We had even rinsed the sand and it was still cloudy for quite a while!

 

[TKEON230]

When the tank is cloudy from adding sand should I run the filters and protein skimmer?