CC->DSB switch

[drgriff]

Well, I'm going to take the big plunge and switch my tank to DSB tonight. Southdown is nonexistant within 300 miles so I am going with sugar like playsand. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
-One question, after the switch there is inevitably going to be a minor duststorm. Can I run my pumps and filters immediately or should I wait a certain amount of time before turning everything back on? I have a corner overflow with a wet/dry and protein skimmer.

 

[michelle13]

I plugged all of my stuff back in as soon as we were finished and it was clear by the next morning.

 

[nacl-man]

mine took approximately 10 days to clear... but that was without any sort of biological activity at all. In an established tank stuff should start to stick to the sand right away and pull it back down to the bottom.
HTH
Cheers.

 

[thomas712]

If you are using established water then you can leave your pumps on or off as you wish. southdown is very dusty, very silty, and very fine and left my tank coudy over a week. With sugar sized you will not have nearly this amount of problems. You can even soak it for a few hours before using it and help keep cloudiness down.
The very best of luck to you tonight
Thomas

 

[drgriff]

Well, it's done. My partner is in for a huge shock in the morning (he always beats me here). It is still cloudy enough that I can't arrange my LR. I will have to come early to the office and do it. I'll post back after I can better access the damage in the morning. I hope everyone in the tank is OK

 

[thomas712]

Here is where you will need a fresh clean turkey baster, to blow the sand and silt off of the rock, that is once you can see it. Or use a powerhead to blow the sand off, it will cloud up again but the sand is now being coated with the bacteria and in a few days things will look better.
Thomas

 

[drgriff]

The cloud is gone!!! There is silt over all of the rock, thanks for the turkey baster tip Thomas. I'll buy one at lunch.
- How long should I leave the pantyhose CC blobs in the tank. I have three in the tank, I have saved the rest of the CC in a bucket with some water. Now that I can rearrange the LR, I can add more if needed.

 

[drgriff]

after picture

 

[drgriff]

before picture ( I'm having trouble sizing pictures. That's why they are in reverse order)

 

[robb]

If you can't find a turkey baster you can use one of those bulbs for cleaning a baby's nose out. They are cheap, small, and effective.
By the way...Nice job on the switch!