sand cycling

[whitetiprs]

I am going to be moving my tank in a month or so and want to add a DSB instead of the CC i have now. What is a good way to cure the sand before I add it to my tank. I will be about 80-90 lbs for my 46 gal.

 

[electrikat]

Put it in a rubbermaid tub full of tank water and a powerhead. Maybe put a couple of cups of your cc in a mesh bag or a panty hose leg to add bacteria for the sand. If you have a spare heater that would be great but if you keep your house warm that would be ok also.

 

[cmor1701d]

And... STIR the sand every day or two to turn it over. You don't want a DSB in the rubbermaid tub. You want to get as much sand as possible coated with bacteria. That means turning it over so the bottom gets to the top. The ph alone won't do it.

 

[lando]

You can also throw ina couple of cups of LS from an established reef tank to help seed the sand.

 

[flanque]

You know I have been saying for a while that I will never get a sand bed again as the algae on it discolours it too easily. It's odd as my P04 is zero and my lights are hardly intense. Ideas?

I am currently trying to fend off a red cyno outbreak of about 6 months. I don't want to use chemicals if possible, rather natural breakdown of it.

 

[lando]

It's odd as my P04 is zero and my lights are hardly intense. Ideas?

How old are your bulbs. htey can lose spectrum after about a year and cause some algea blooms. Also, might be time for another PO4 test kit.