Adding Sand

[+KimP]

I need to add some sand to my established tank. I'm planning on getting a pvc pipe and just pouring it in where I want it. Is there any reason to not just dump a bunch of sand in? I can't think of one but thought I might be missing something. This is the bagged wet kind.

[Jimbo662]

When I added sand to my cube I used a 3/4" pvc pipe with a funnel on top and a cup to pour water into the funnel and wash the sand down. It only sticks in the funnel...once it gets into the pipe where water is it'll fall the rest of the way. I made little piles around the perimeter of the tank then just spread it out very carefully.

[jestep]

Do you have any sand in there now, or is it bare bottom? Really only reason I can think of is if you have a sandbed, you don't want to cover it too much and kill anything in it from lack of oxygen.

Also, the pre-bagged wet stuff will still usually create a decent amount of dust. Either rinse, or run whatever mechanical filtration you have as much as possible. Will probably have to change socks or filter pads as they'll get clogged up pretty quick. A turkey baster a few times after it starts to settle down will get it off your coral and other surfaces.

[Timfish]

I just dump it in then use my hand ot a turkey baster to flush it off any corals it landed on.

[+KimP]

Do you have any sand in there now, or is it bare bottom? Really only reason I can think of is if you have a sandbed, you don't want to cover it too much and kill anything in it from lack of oxygen.

Also, the pre-bagged wet stuff will still usually create a decent amount of dust. Either rinse, or run whatever mechanical filtration you have as much as possible. Will probably have to change socks or filter pads as they'll get clogged up pretty quick. A turkey baster a few times after it starts to settle down will get it off your coral and other surfaces.

I have existing sand and in most areas around the tank it's barely enough to cover the glass bottom. You said exactly what I was wondering. If adding new sand on top could cause problems because of the critters and even algae growing in/on it. So what should I do? Just add a shallow layer each day? Each week?

[pabloescolar]

When I've added sand to an existing system I've used similar methods to the PVC trick, but then slowly stirred the new sand into the old to try and avoid suffocating whatever is in the old, and to put the new in contact with beneficial bacteria. The only result I've noticed from that is a brief diatom bloom but it has always subsided within a couple days. That might have more to do with the age of the tank than the process though.

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[FarmerTy]

When I've added sand to an existing system I've used similar methods to the PVC trick, but then slowly stirred the new sand into the old to try and avoid suffocating whatever is in the old, and to put the new in contact with beneficial bacteria. The only result I've noticed from that is a brief diatom bloom but it has always subsided within a couple days. That might have more to do with the age of the tank than the process though.

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The diatoms are a direct effect of silicates in the new sand feeding their growth. They'll go away once all the silicates are consumed from the new sand... barring there are no other sources such as from your RO/DI water.