PLEASE tell me my DSB idea will work!!

[rotarygeek]

Ok to start out, my 30 gallon wasnt researched too thoroughly before i jumped in. im using about a 2 inch sand bed, and my nitrates will not go below 20-25 even with weekly %20 water changes. I decided to go ahead and get this over with before i finish stocking my tank. My PLAN is to get another 2 bags of the black argonite and a rubbermaid storage container. Take out a powerhead and a heater and half of my water from the DT and place it in the container. Now because of the fact that im only working with a 30 gallon i dont have much water to spare, so i plan on adding my fish/inverts to my container of LR (plus it will probably lessen their stress and save me some work in the long run). Then i will drain my water as low as i can get it and add my new argonite to my existing sandbed. I plan on at least doubling it. Now i understand this will completely cover my live sand with dead sand. But this will be just like starting up a new tank. So really im just looking for reassurance that i CAN do this and not kill my fish/inverts. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

[bang guy]

Is your current sand actually live sand with worms & critters or does it just contain bacteria right now?
Just some casual comments:
There's no need to take any water from your display tank. If you want to use the leftover water from a waterchange that's fine.
The Heater and powerhead is an excellent idea.
I would take several pounds of live sand from my display tank and add it to the curing sand in the rubbermaid container.
Once a week I would take the top 1/2" from the rubbermaid container and add it to the display tank. Then I would ghost feed the sand a tiny amount of fish food.
I wouldn't remove the fish.

 

[rotarygeek]

thats a decent idea too. but what im talking about is emptying my tank, then adding all the sand, then filling it back up. After all the sand has cleared, ill add the lr and fish inverts back with the water. keeping all the old water for fishs safety.

 

[sk8shorty01]

I think Bang guy's idea would be the best, as far as stress factors for the fish are concerned. The fish would be better suited to be left in their tank, and just add a little bit of sand to the tank at a time. You could actually probably skip the rubbermaid container idea all together and just add the sand a little at a time if you wanted (considering its dead anyways). Maybe a pound every other day or something like that and then you would eventually get all the sand in the tank without bothering the fish to much.
You also run the risk of stirring up the sand if you are removing all of your live rock and fish. This could pose a nitrate problem in your display if you are not careful. Just thought I would mention this as well, just in case.

 

[rotarygeek]

ok so maybe ill try that, just adding a couple cups every other day or so. should i spread it out or should i concentrate it in one area every time? and how do i go about getting it to the bottom of my tank without causing a huge sandstorm?

 

[scopus tang]

What, you didn't like mine and 1journeyman's suggestions? If you don't want to use the funnel and pipe, you can use a cup; get the sand wet with water from your tank, then lower it to the sandbed and dump it out. You will still get some suspended into the water column, but not much, and it will settle out.

 

[rotarygeek]

yeah thanks for the help. ill try that.

 

[mcbdz]

My question is why do you have increased nitrates to begin with?
If you don't fix this problem, the sand may not do a lot of good. A 30 gal is small. What is your stocklist, # of LR, filtration, feeding and how often?
You may beable to fix this without adding sand or need both.
How often do you do water changes and what type of water do you use? tap or ro/di?

 

[rotarygeek]

ok it a 30 gallon abour 4 months old. i have a penguin biowheel 350 filter, a 110 gph powerhead, a 170 gph powerhead, a 250 watt visitherm stealth heater. 16 pounds lr, 40 pounds base rock. 1 clownfish, 1 yellowtail damsel, 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 5 blue clawed hermit crabs. i try to only feed once a day, a mix of tropical flakes, regular flakes, and frozen brine shrimp changing it up everyday. sometimes they will get a little treat later on in the day of some flake food. i do weekly water changes of 20%. um.... the lights are t5 ho actinics on for about 10 hours. i cant think of anything else so if you need some other info just let me know. oh, my other levels are pretty much spot on, just a problem with nitrates.

 

[scopus tang]

Originally Posted by RotaryGeek http:///forum/post/2554283
ok it a 30 gallon abour 4 months old. i have a penguin biowheel 350 filter, a 110 gph powerhead, a 170 gph powerhead, a 250 watt visitherm stealth heater. 16 pounds lr, 40 pounds base rock. 1 clownfish, 1 yellowtail damsel, 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp, 5 blue clawed hermit crabs. i try to only feed once a day, a mix of tropical flakes, regular flakes, and frozen brine shrimp changing it up everyday. sometimes they will get a little treat later on in the day of some flake food. i do weekly water changes of 20%. um.... the lights are t5 ho actinics on for about 10 hours. i cant think of anything else so if you need some other info just let me know. oh, my other levels are pretty much spot on, just a problem with nitrates.
Also reference this thread.
https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/314837/lr-ls-question

 

[rotarygeek]

haha yeah that thread is what gave me the thought that it is my sand bed causing my problem. i actually posted this in that thread. i wonder if just taking out some sand and making a shallow bed would be easier and safer....

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by RotaryGeek
http:///forum/post/2554283
i try to only feed once a day, a mix of tropical flakes, regular flakes, and frozen brine shrimp changing it up everyday.
Your fish food has Nitrate problem written all over it.
Dried Flake food starts releasing nutrients into the water upon contact. If not immediately consumed by your fish it will increase dissolved nutrients.
Frozen Brine Shrimp is often preserved with Nitrate. The better brands don't do this but it doesn't hurt to check.
Just my opinion but I think homemade blended seafood or frozen (and rinsed) Mysis Shrimp make for better nutrition and less nutrients going directly into the water.