New tank stocking and changing CC to sand Q's

[slouiscar]

Hi!
I am a beginner. I have a 29g tank with 25 lbs of live rock, an eclipse 3 hood with carbon & biowheel filter, powerjet, and a CC substrate. I have been cycling for 4 weeks. Parameters are: temp 78, sal 1.024, pH 8.2, last test was ammonia 0.1, NO2 0, NO3 0. Previously I had all 0’s… at the time of this recent test I had added a domino damsel 2 days prior. I expect my next test to be back to 0’s. I also have 6 hermit crabs… and a lipet?
Now to the Q’s!!
Early next week I am going to be adding some action! (provided my #’s go back to 0 as expected.) I plan to add the following: 1 blood red fire shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 5 turbo snails, 5 scarlet hermit crabs & two false percula clowns. How’s that to start? Do I need more snails? Should Peppermint shrimp be in pairs?
Per forum advice I will be returning the domino – he really is mean!! I am going to remove my live rock and net him. At that time I am considering replacing my CC. I have DIATOMS and they are driving me mad. Brown on the CC, brown on my live rock, brown on the glass. It is pissing me off. When my readings went to 0’s previously I did a 10g water change with filtered distilled water. I cleaned off the rock and glass. Now a week later I am back to LIGHT BROWN. Will diatom growth slow over time? Will the snails and additional crabs get the job done? Will replacing the CC end it? I don’t want to add live sand right now – budget – is that a problem? Can I add some white Home Depot stuff? What specifically? Does the sand need to be rinsed prior to installation like the CC. Do I have to drain my tank to put it in? Will it cloud the whole thing for days?
I hate throwing out $30 worth of CC but if it will solve the diatom problem…CONSIDER IT DONE! Now, how do I do it right?
Thanks in advance. Everyone has been sooooo helpful. I hope I am not using up all my questions here but I could use the advice.

 

[birdy]

you can never ask too many questions.
The diatoms will be in a newly cycled tank regardless of the substrate, it is just because there are silicates in the water the the diatoms feed off of. If you are using a pure water source then they will go away on their own.
The home depot sand (only a few carry it) is called Tropical playsand, it is very white and very fine, the brand which will be in fine print somewhere will say either, southdown, old castle or Yard right. do some searches for Southdown and you can find the sku #.
The switch is up to you, I prefer a sandbed, but you can maintain a tank with crushed coral.
If you do go with the sand switch, I suggest you pre-cure it, so you don't have a cycle with the new sand. there is a thread about that also so do a search for curing sand.
Your stocking list looks okay to me, but be very sure your levels are 0 before adding anything.

 

[slouiscar]

forget it then. I really don't want to wait another 4 weeks right now so I can watch sand sit in a bucket. That will have to wait.
hopefully the diatoms will wear themselves out and my crabs and snails can catch up.

 

[capschamp]

The benifits of curing your sand way outnumber just putting it in the tank, but i had an extra tank lying around to put my 2 percs and bta in along with four shrimp, 4 snails and 2 hermits with some live rock. I pulled out all my crushed coral and put it in pantyhose (wont comment if it was mine or not j/k) and put the sand in the tank. 2 days later it was all settled and i acclimated the inhabitants back to the tank. 1 month after the swithc everything is doing well.:jumping:

 

[fishman9]

I Also was wondering how long you should wait to put your LR and other inhabbits after you do the switch? not two days right?

 

[capschamp]

i saved 25 gallons of the water so when i put the stuff back in all i had to do was wait for the sand to settle. with the crushed coral in the pantyhose i didnt expect to see a cycle, after the sand settled-2 days later-i returned them to their home. That was just my experience, others have done better and others have done worse. hth.