sand bed
 

I really don't like the way my sand bed is... when I was first setting it up I didnt k now anything about it so I actually put gravel underneath the sand.I froget why. =p
Anyway.. it looks awful ..I like the smooth sand. Could I add more sand to the bottom? Would it kill my snails by burying them? Would hurt the fish at all from the cloudy water?
Thanks alot
asherah

Bump.....!

There is one thing you will find. The coarser gravel will find its way to the top. To keep it looking good you have to get rid of the gravel.:sad: As far as I can see it will all have to come out, and be replaced by straight sand. I say that because in my tank even years after adding sugar sized sand there is still crushed coral coming to the top.

Ashera I agree with Bob I think you are not going to like it unless you pull the whole thing out and get rid of the gravel. I don't think the cloudy water will hurt the snails but not sure about the fish. I would be tempted to pull the fish out until the worst of the cloud dies down. Having said that I am sure that fish can probably handle the sand in the water as the ocean definately gets cloudy near the reef when there is a storm so it's really your choice.

Absolutely true. Cloudy water will not in any way hurt the fish. i have done it many, many times.:biggrin:

How will I get all the sand out ? Just scoop it ?
thanks
asherah

How long has your tank been set up?
You can scoop some but probably the easiest way is to syphon it out with water changes. Maybe take it out over a month or so with about 1/4 each time. Or else you can take everything, rocks, fish, coral, water etc. out and then use a wet dry vacume to take it all out then add your water, rocks, sand and fish and corals back in.
If your tank has been set up for a while watch out for a cycle with disturbing the sand/gravel bed like that.

Yes. if you do it carefully you won't make too much of a mess, but it will still be an ugly job.:sad:

Well it's not a very big tank and the sand bed isn't very deep at all. Maybe 1/2 an inch. It's been setup for a few months now I think.
asherah

My first tank was set up like yours, and I too wanted just sugar sand... I actually ended up sifting the sand through a net to separate the coarse stuff out of it.... took me a few hours as I had over 125 lbs total... but I ended up with what I wanted... I sifted the sand in a bucket of change water to minimize particulates floating in the main tank... it STILL ended up real cloudy!