REALLY gunked up sand **need help quick**

[AcidRayn]

ok, so im changing out my tank today, all is going good, im taking out the sand, and man is it beyond loaded with crap!!!!

i was trying to rinse it a bit as i was taking it out, i drained the rest of the water, prob about 10-15 gal, and this is whats on the bottom!!!

this was not a deep sand bed, and its been in there about 2 years.

by the way, the sand that is in there is black!!! this stuff is like mud

should i completly clean all the sand before it goes back in?

i need to put this tank back together tonight, i got all fish and coral in rubbish cans with circulation and heaters

O, AND that crap is not going back in, but worried about the bucket of sand i have is got alot of it in there too

 

[Hawkeye]

I would not use that sand at all. you will cause a cycle and probably kill everything.

 

[mnat]

+1 with not using the sand and just going out and buying new live sand. That sand is loaded with nitrates and probably sulfer dioxide. You need to rinse sand in saltwater until it is completely clean which is a lot of effort and a lot of saltwater plus you have to worry you did not get it all. We have always bought new sand when we moved, just makes you sleep better at night.

 

[Sandee]

+2 don't try to clean it! Go bare bottom for now if you have too. Disturbing sand is never good ...

 

[scooter1010]

+3 !!!!!!!!!! Never try to re-use sand when setting up a new system.

 

[AcidRayn]

+3 !!!!!!!!!! Never try to re-use sand when setting up a new system.

its not a new system, just moving into new tank,

 

[scooter1010]

its not a new system, just moving into new tank,

Really?

 

[Fish Brain]

As others have stated, best route to go is: New Tank = New Sand

Unless you have hours (and I do mean hours) to spend cleaning and rinsing the sand. I tried to clean the sand from my old tank once, rinsing, sifting, and cleaning for over 3 hours till the water was clear. Never again will I do that!

 

[qwik]

I understand its not a " new tank" but once you disturb a older sand bed that much its now a new tank . I would do like everyone said and dump it and buy a bag of live sand and have one less worry . You could also buy reg sand and add a cup of that crusty stuff you have to seed it but for few dollars more I would toss it all .

 

[SHLUZER]

+go bare bottom. If you want to reuse the sand, clean it separately and cycle it in separate container (keeping temp and salinity, checking nitrates and ammonia), then add in small ammounts to main tank and let it spread under it's weight.

 

[AcidRayn]

+go bare bottom. If you want to reuse the sand, clean it separately and cycle it in separate container (keeping temp and salinity, checking nitrates and ammonia), then add in small ammounts to main tank and let it spread under it's weight.

I like this and will go this route. I have a black sand in the tank that we likes and I paid small fortune for.
Times have, but money is tight, 2 kids with braces payments and lacrosse habits absorbs most spare coin.


Thank you all for the help. Mods can lock or delete if they like

 

[MadReefer]

Just saw this post and agree with everyone, Do Not Reuse the sand.
I did this and only took some of the sand and had nothing but problems for at least a year.

 

[AcidRayn]

Well with some info from anothe site, I'm keeping a cup live and soaking and rinsing the rest in bleach.
Then it's new non live sand?