Out With The Old In With The New

[5.0stang]

This is what im gonna do i wanna remove the CC bed from my wifes tank cause she wants a wrasse. Whats the best way to do this and how deep should i make the sand bed? Its a 3' tank I was thinkin put her fish and corals with rock in a rubbermaid when lights go out with 15 gal. of their water and dump the all the cc and water thats in the tank out and replace with dead sand and new water. Just like a giant water change simple right? Good idea or am i an idiot? Some1 please let me know if im gonna mess anything up i plan on doing this tomorrow night. Will the sand cycle even though its dead and what would be a good depth to keep wrasses happy?

 

[frankthetank]

I'm curious, why would you want dead sand?
As far as your change... I don't know if you should throw out that much of your water. I'll tell you what I did once when I wanted to change out my sand bed and it worked perfect. I used a rubbermaid tub like you said, and put all my rock and hermits, blah blah blah and filled the tub up with tank water. I even used my heater to keep the temp right and a PH to keep flow.
Here's where I contradict myself... I used my LFS' water originally, so I syphoned my tank out and dumped the old sand bed... then cleaned the tank up and put the new sand back in along with new water from the LFS. Basically making the same water.
Worked like charm, and I had no new cycle or deaths to report.
So I don't see why you can't do the same. Just think about the water thing, do you make your own salt water?

 

[5.0stang]

I meant dead sand as in the cheap stuff thats dry not that one with water for 20 bucks for like 15 lbs. My lfs has a 40lb bag for 20 bucks i think. I have been holdin off on doing a water change on her tank and i accidently let the trates get to 15

thats y i figured might as well do a big change. O yea i make my own water

 

[frankthetank]

Well you said keep 15 gallons I guess... of course you didn't say how big the tank was gallon wise. I think for 10 more bucks you should be able to get live sand. I would rather do that. Your idea should work, like mine did.

 

[teresaq]

that will work, but i would keep at least half of the water. take some of the cc and place in mesh bags, place them on the sand bed once tank is up and running to seed your new sand bed.

 

[5.0stang]

Its a 38 gal so i said 15 cause i figured that much old water would help for it not to cycle I also have a 100 gal thats been set up longer in case i need cycled water its no biggie. I think im gonna go thru with this tomorrow instead of tonight cause i frogot to buy the sand