adding sand to new fuge

[pohtr]

When its time to add sand to a new refugium do you just add live sand, or is it safer to add dead sand and wait? Could it cause an ammonia spike or something when the LS & LR are added to the fuge? Should I take some of the sand from the main tank? If it matters, this will be a wet/dry conversion fuge.

 

[pohtr]

Does anyone know? What did all of you do when you started your refugiums?????

 

[farmboy]

I'm at the point of adding sand to mine. I don't think sand of either persuasion CAN cause a spike; especially clean-dead sand. I'm going to put dead sand in first, then "seed" it with some small rocks and live sand from my display.

 

[hot883]

I have mine on the floor waiting for more rock to come. When I do the whole process, I will use sand from my established tank for the fuge. That would be the safest unless you bought LS in a bag already. Any uncured LR added to the system could and should throw it into a cycle.

 

[murph]

IMO home depot play sand will do. Deep around 4 inches. Put sand in tank first and then place a dinner plate or something similar on top of sand. Mix your water in separate containers matching of course the SG of your main tank.
When ready pore water in fuge tank over top of plate, this avoids sand storm and you can probably start up your plumbing shortly afterwords and add cured live rock macros etc. You can always take a few cups full of sand from your main tank to get things going in your fuge, this of course goes on top of your new bed in the fuge.
If you can find a nice ball of cheato at your LFS they usually come with a boat load of pods to get things started in that respect also.
This is how I went about it and things seem to be doing fine. I saw a decline in nitrates just days after adding my macros. Some of this was most likely due to the expanded water volume but nitrates have never gone on the rise since starting the fuge.

 

[farmboy]

Ok I have around 3-4" of sand in my display. I know you are not supposed to upset a DSB. How much sand can you remove to transfer to the fuge without causing a spike from the "funk" in the sand?

 

[pohtr]

I wouldn't use uncured LR straight into the tank or sump but how can you be sure about LS? If its bagged is it safe?
If I put new LS into a qt and spread it about 4" deep and let it stay there a few weeks, then when I move it to the sump (and disturb it in order to move it) would some of the sand from the bottom maybe have anearobic bacteria in it that would get stirred up and cause problems? Does sand have to be cured in a thin layer???
Maybe a little bit of LS from the lfs (if they have any) to seed some dead sand would just plain be the simplist & safeist.

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by Farmboy
Ok I have around 3-4" of sand in my display. I know you are not supposed to upset a DSB. How much sand can you remove to transfer to the fuge without causing a spike from the "funk" in the sand?
Like the above post says, just put in dead sand and seed it with the main tank sand. a couple of cups will do just nicely.

 

[jojo_b]

i have brackish tank already set up and running. i thought it was empty after the fish departed this world for the next, but then something ate them and i found that there was a mantis shrimp in residence. the deal is that there isn't much sand at all in the tank, and i would very much like to make the tank more habitable to the shrimp, and perhaps add some complimentary beasts.
the question is, can i add a couple pieces of live rock, and some sand directly to the tank, like has been suggested for the fuge above? or must i remove the inhabitant, add stuff, then put him back?
-jojo

 

[jojo_b]

:jumping: *bump* :help: pls

 

[pohtr]

I think you can add the sand and LR as long as it has been fully cured and you get it to your tank quickly enough so as to have no die off.

 

[jojo_b]

thanks pohtr.
how would i know if there was die-off? would it smell rotten?

 

[aquapro_1]

No smell, just the numbers will spike. Dead turns to waste & you should know what that means....

 

[pohtr]

Just for the record, I used a bag of dry acquarium aragonite sand in the fuge and even though I rinsed it it clouded up the main tank for about 2 days. Probably my digging around in it to fish out the LR rubble didn't help. Next time I'll remove the rubble first.

 

[scotts]

Hey Pohtr, so how is your new tank doing?

 

[pohtr]

Hey Scotts,
Thanks for asking. In fact it is really fun now. All those freebie fish survived and even Mr. Bubble (coral) is healthy, inadequate lighting and all. I just got in my first order from this site and now have a coral banded shrimp, 2-3 camelback shrimp, 2 sally lightfoots and 2 emerald crabs, and a whole mess of hermits and snails. Oh, and 2 lettuce nudibranches and they are so COOL.
And the new fuge is well under way.
Next step is the RO/DI
then the lighting
it never ends, does it?

 

[scotts]

No it never does end. I have been doing this for over 4 years now and there is always something else. Someday I am going to gt my tank set and leave it that way. So good to hear that things are goind good for you now (Knock on wood) I will have to check out the nudibranches. See it never does end.
Scott