question about substrate

[packfan2204]

ok, i've got about two inches of aragonite with about 1/2 inch of crushed coral on top. Do u think it would be easier to try to remove the cc from the top, then add some more sand, or easier just to remove it all from one side, replace with new sand, then do the other side in a couple of weeks?

 

[steve-s]

Should be pretty easy to use a 1" diameter hose and just syphon off the top layer of CC. You can then use a plastic cup or similar and gentley lay the new sand atop the old. Just be careful not to add more than a ½" of new sand at once. Leave it a few days between additions.

Cheers
Steve

 

[Dewey]

Ive added sand twice to my system.Once in main tank about 15 pounds. And when i added refugium. Both times i did this i ended up with a cyno out break.Is this cause by adding the sand or just a freak thing?


Dewey

 

[steve-s]

Both times i did this i ended up with a cyno out break.Is this cause by adding the sand or just a freak thing?

Most likely a combination of phosphates introduced with the sand and reduced aerobic bacteria processing when the new sand covered the old. The same will generally happen whenever you fuss with the biological filtration but PO4 will be the main culprit.

As long as PO4 is not being continually re-introduced, the problem should be short lived.

Cheers
Steve