Sand Bed

[radiolotek]

I want to add about 40 more lbs. of sand to my tank. Will this cause problems? If not how slow should it be added to the tank?

 

[jester805]

I don't think it would cause any problems. How slow or fast you add it just depends on how cloudy you want it to be when you're done.

 

[radiolotek]

Lol. Should I vac my exsisting sand before adding more? Or just add untop of old sand.

 

[jester805]

Originally Posted by Radiolotek
Lol. Should I vac my exsisting sand before adding more? Or just add untop of old sand.
If it were me.....I would probably add the new sand, then try to mix the old & new with my hands. You could vacuum the sandbed before adding, but it probably won't do a whole lot.

 

[radiolotek]

Yeah I guess that would work cause I'm gonna add live sand. When I get done its gonna be a decent bed. What would you suggest I put in there to keep it clean or stirred up?

 

[jester805]

Originally Posted by Radiolotek
Yeah I guess that would work cause I'm gonna add live sand. When I get done its gonna be a decent bed. What would you suggest I put in there to keep it clean or stirred up?
I'm probably not the best person to ask because I have a sand-sifting sea star. It keeps my sand BRIGHT WHITE. I also have a bunch of mexican red-leg crabs. Everyone flames me for having the sand-sifter and I'm considering taking it back to my LFS.
There are several things you could use for sand cleaners though.

• Cerith Snail
• Sea cucumber
  Dwarf blue-let hermit crab

Again, I'm not the best person to ask because I don't personally have any of those in that list. Just from reading about them on other sites that list them as sand cleaners.

 

[teen]

if you mix up your existing sandbed, that could release a lot of debris whcih may start another cycle in your tank. i would just add it right on top of your old sand

 

[radiolotek]

What do you think of the idea of buying some neck clams from the seafood store to help with trates since were on the subject of sand.

 

[sharkbait9]

I have six small cherry stones in my both my tanks, and four piss clams I got from the acme (grocery store by me). A lot of other people say no to them and they may have valid reasons. I have had them for a long time with out a problem. When the area they are pointed in is to clean for them, they turn them selves around or move a little, some times burying their "mouth" in the sand. Most of the time they just lay with their "mouth" even with or right on top of the sand. Pretty cool looking, I think . When they open their "mouth" a tub comes out or it looks like ribbon candy going across their entire "mouth"