Washing oolite sand?
 

Hey, I'm setting up my tank again (started a build thread here http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d.php?t=104786 ), and I need to use my old sand because I can't get any new stuff locally, and I don't want to pay $50 a bag to have it shipped.

So I did a quick 10 minute vinegar bath and rinsed well in RO water and let it soak overnight. Then I tried rinsing it in tap water in a 5 gallon bucket. It wasn't coming clean so I reduced the amount of sand to less than 5 lbs worth... only about 1 1/2 to 2 inches of sand in the bottom of the bucket. After a filling the bucket a dozen times, swishing the sand around and draining the water, it is still really cloudy.

So my question is, does this stuff ever rinse clean? Or is the water cloudy because this oolite sand is so fine, and I'm just slowly rinsing all my sand down the drain? I can deal with a cloudy tank for a few days while the dust settles, I just want to make sure any detritus is washed out.

if it's used sand, rinse it well. Very well.

you want to wash out any detritus as much as you can. You may loose some, but it's better than having old fish poo when you restart your tank.

Even new sand doesn't rinse well.

The best way is to go outside and use the hose. It will take several hours of rinsing to come clean. This is what I did when I got 300lbs for my garden eel tank. It was an all day thing and then it still took the tank a couple of days to clear. With old sand it may take a bit longer but shouldn't be too difficult. I never understood why people suggest throwing old sand away. New sand has to be rinsed like crazy anyway so why not keep the old sand if you already have it...

Have you considered bare bottom ?
Sounds like a phosphate problem waiting to happen:)