want to change cc to dsb

[msamsonz28]

I'm seriously considering making the switch to a [acronym:03aa45a1da="Deep Sand Bed"]dsb[/acronym:03aa45a1da]. How much trouble is it to do this? My guess is this job would take approx 4-5 hours. My setup is a 55g with 75 lbs [acronym:03aa45a1da="Live rock"]lr[/acronym:03aa45a1da], maroon clown and yellow tang.
Here's my plan if I decide to go through with it:
1. buy a 50g trash can from hd and transfer water ([acronym:03aa45a1da="Live rock"]lr[/acronym:03aa45a1da] goes in here)
2. put fish in 5g buckets
3. scoop out all the [acronym:03aa45a1da="Crushed Coral (if substrate) or Counter Current (if referring to a Protien skimmer) or cubic centimeter (if referring to a measure of volume)."]cc[/acronym:03aa45a1da]
4. add sand, rock and water
Now can I add the fish right away or should I circulate the tank for a bit?
Anyone have advice on how I should go about this?

[lando]

Plan is pretty good. You will appreciate the [acronym:b528ecd812="Live sand"]LS[/acronym:b528ecd812] over the [acronym:b528ecd812="Crushed Coral (if substrate) or Counter Current (if referring to a Protien skimmer) or cubic centimeter (if referring to a measure of volume)."]CC[/acronym:b528ecd812], good move. Get a bunch of filter media bags from the [acronym:b528ecd812="Local Fish Store"]LFS[/acronym:b528ecd812] and put your [acronym:b528ecd812="Crushed Coral (if substrate) or Counter Current (if referring to a Protien skimmer) or cubic centimeter (if referring to a measure of volume)."]CC[/acronym:b528ecd812] substrate in them. Place these on top of the new sand to help seed the sand bed. It would also help to get some a few cups of [acronym:b528ecd812="Live sand"]LS[/acronym:b528ecd812] from an exsisting reef tank to help seed the new stuff as well. Keep a close eye on water parameters for a couple of weeks. This could trigger a mini-cycle. Just have some aged [acronym:b528ecd812="Saltwater"]SW[/acronym:b528ecd812] ready to go for a few water changes if need be. Good luck!

[haus]

I want to do the same thing, but I figured that it would take all day. Update me on how the transition goes. I was going to wait until next summer, but there is no time like the present. I have heard that pantyhose can be used to hold [acronym:fdb1e32c55="Crushed Coral (if substrate) or Counter Current (if referring to a Protien skimmer) or cubic centimeter (if referring to a measure of volume)."]cc[/acronym:fdb1e32c55] to seed the new [acronym:fdb1e32c55="Deep Sand Bed"]DSB[/acronym:fdb1e32c55], is that true? Is there any reason that the fish should be in 5 [acronym:fdb1e32c55="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:fdb1e32c55] buckets as opposed to in with the [acronym:fdb1e32c55="Live rock"]LR[/acronym:fdb1e32c55]?

[lando]

Pantyhose also work great. You can chose to keep your fish in the tank, but you will have a major sand storm on your hands. Best to keep them in a seperate container until things settle. One more thing...When you remove all of the water from your tank, stop at the substrate. Any water left covering the substrate should be discarded. It is just all of the old foul water in the substrate. Incooperate a water change into the process and you will be just fine. Haus...there really is no time like the present.

[msamsonz28]

Well I went to [acronym:f728e9a68c="Home Depot"]HD[/acronym:f728e9a68c] this am and bought 100lbs sand. it took me about an hour to change everthing out. I did like you said and stopped the water at the substrate. The hardest part was scooping [acronym:f728e9a68c="Crushed Coral (if substrate) or Counter Current (if referring to a Protien skimmer) or cubic centimeter (if referring to a measure of volume)."]cc[/acronym:f728e9a68c] and mopping up water. Right now my water looks like a bomb went off. I've got filter and powerheads running. The fish are in a 10g bucket waiting for their new home. Can't wait to see what it looks like. Hopefully tonight I can finish it up!!

[haus]

An hour doesn't sound bad at all. Did you take any pics of the process?

[missusliz]

I did something similar today. I put nylon screening over my [acronym:4c6baeb92f="Crushed Coral (if substrate) or Counter Current (if referring to a Protien skimmer) or cubic centimeter (if referring to a measure of volume)."]CC[/acronym:4c6baeb92f] then scooped the sand out of a bucket (after a thousand rinse cycles), and put it in the tank over the screening so it doesn't end up under the [acronym:4c6baeb92f="Crushed Coral (if substrate) or Counter Current (if referring to a Protien skimmer) or cubic centimeter (if referring to a measure of volume)."]cc[/acronym:4c6baeb92f].

Does anyone know how having the lights on during cycling, affects the cycling process?

[msamsonz28]

no pics of the process, sorry. i had planned on it but it went so fast and there really wasn't much to take pics of anyway. i take back my earlier statement about scooping out the [acronym:9ad3e2b433="Crushed Coral (if substrate) or Counter Current (if referring to a Protien skimmer) or cubic centimeter (if referring to a measure of volume)."]cc[/acronym:9ad3e2b433] as being the hardest part. the hardest part was carrying the sand up three flights of stairs. seriously it was easy and cheap. haus, if you're thinking about doing it, go for it. my only concern now is how my fish will like their temp home. i'm monitoring temps religiously and i have a 150gph [acronym:9ad3e2b433="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]ph[/acronym:9ad3e2b433] in the bucket. fresh saltwater is ready just in case.
this is how the tank looks now after 4 hours. ugh! i can sorta see in about 4" now as compared to less than 2" a couple hours ago.

[haus]

My parents just offered me a 29 [acronym:37fba2c489="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:37fba2c489] set up for free!!!! I think I will wait until I get that, then use that for a temp home for my salty critters while I do the change. I was thinking about using it for seahorses or a small reef. The research has already begon on both. I keep getting more and more tanks. I don't know what to do with them, or at least have the money to support what I want to do

[msamsonz28]

Update - It's been 8 hours since I made the change. Water is still cloudy but now I can almost see to the back of the tank. Is it safe to put the fish back in? I would rather not leave them in the bucket overnight. Water para's check good. ammo 0, nitrates 15, nitrites 0, pH 8.0.