Should I through the sandbed out?

[kpk]

I have been having major algae problems for a long time and everything i do nothing will help. The last thing I can think of is to get this nasty old, stinky sand out. If I move it or anything it's like a dark cloud. Would it help alot or would it be worth it? Please someone say something, because I will be doing it tomorrow.
Thanks,
Kyle

 

[kpk]

anyone???

 

[sergeant]

Dont take it out yet. Im sorry is all this questions bother you, Im just trying to help.
What kind of sand do you have and how old is it?
How long have your tank been set up?
How old are your lights?

 

[c marlowe]

I would start syphoning the sand during water changes. I gave up "not touching the sandbed" awhile ago and started just syphoning it clean during water changes. There's still life, and eveything is doing better. I simply did NOT have enough sandbed life, as many others don't, to keep the bed nutrient and detritus free..........take a syphon to it IMO.
This way atleast you can clean it up while you decide whether to keep it or not, and you won't cause trouble removing it with tons of detritus in there.

 

[kpk]

Thanks for the replies. I have had my tank setup about a year now. It's about time to change the actinic vho's, but metal halides are in good shape. The sand that is in my tank is probably about 10yrs old. A guy gave it to me and I didn't know whether it was a bad thing or not then. It is a ssb.
I have done the siphoning, but if I disturb the sand it's like a serious dark cloud. I cleaned the tank awhile back and the water, after stirring the sand, smelled like ammonia or something. Actually like pure sh!t.

 

[spline9]

You may want to consider why its turning like that first.
The source of your issues could be overfeeding. Overfeeding = excess nutrients. Excess nutrients = algae food. Another reason could be that you may not have a large enough cleanup crew to handle the leftovers and excrement. Generally, 1 cleanup critter per gallon (depending on the critter).
How often do you do water changes? What sort of water do you use (tapwater perhaps?) What are your levels like? When you stirred the sand, I bet your ammonia levels were pretty high.
These are things that you will want to look into before going through the hassle of changing your sandbed... only to discover that the problem will soon return. If the issue is something like overfeeding and insufficient cleanup crew, your solution will be simple.

 

[kpk]

this has been an ongoing mess for about 6 months. I feed maybe one to two times a week and thats about it. i am done messing with it. i have read that alot of people are having luck with the bb.
I just dont' know what else to do.
I am running a euro-reef, alot of flow. No phosphates, about 10 nitrates.
What else to do, tried everything

 

[squidd]

I would agree with the slow, methodical removal (siphon small amounts/layers out with WCs) of the sand bed "IF" the following conditions apply...
1. You said it may be as old as 10 years...probably past it's "useful" life and has become a "nutrient sink"...
2.You have No Life or Low Life levels (clean up crew, pods,worms,etc...) in it...
3. You have No interest in "rejuvenating" it into a "living/thriving" sand bed...through the addition of "micro" Flora and Fauna "kits"
4.You have adequate means of filtration/LR for biological surface area...
5. You have committed to up grading equipment, pumps, circulation to support a BB tank...
Basicly...Removing a sand bed does NOT turn your tank into a BB, any more than adding 4 more inch's of sand would turn it into a DSB...
Each method BB, SSB,and DSB requires a full set of "parameters" to be in place to be successfull...and the Main difference is in what methodology YOU are most comfortable maintaining and running...

 

[doodle1800]

I don't have the same exact problem, but I'm going through the same dilema. I even bought all new substrate over the weekend and was ready to do a complete changeout, but at the last moment decided not to. My tank has been set up over a year also. I'm sick of the mess my 4 inches of sand give me. The fish constantly blow it around at night, getting all the LR looking like it snowed out and leaving big caves under everything. The detrius that collects, the algae at times, although I found out a few causes of this; topping off with tap water - phosphates, low salinity - red slime algae, overfeeding - detrius, etc... So... I'm looking at my tank again last night and have decided to do this. I am going to gut the tank, trying to save as much "live" stuff in the sand, snails, crabs, feather dusters, etc... I then will take all my LR and put them in 15 gal tupperware containers filled with my tanks water, another with fish. Clean the front glass only with a razor and towel. Fill the tank with a 1 inch or lower of aggregate, and refill with 1/2 new water and 1/2 old water.
Let us know what you decide to do.

 

[kpk]

I guess i am going to just take everything out and clean it all really good. I also have some limestone base rock that I think may not be helping me out any, it's gone...
I will then take out alot of the sand, but leave enough for the look etc.
sound ok?

 

[kpk]

well I got it done and added some rock from my gf's that she was getting rid of. as of now I have about 200lbs of lr, a cs6-1 skimmer a phosban reactor, and a mag18 for the return.
here is a pic
I pushed the sand to the front of the tank, siphoned about 20 gallons of water/murk out of the sandbed. And ended up changing about 30 gallons total.

 

[kpk]

And another.

 

[spline9]

Woah. I had no idea you had a rock jungle in there. That mustve been a hell of a weekend!