adding sand to an existing system

[365seasons]

Sorry for the silly question!

Just wondering how you would add a bag of new sand to an already established aquarium..


Do you just rinse the sand, and add it?


Any helpful tips, or just pointing out the obvious for us??


Thanks in advance.

[parkinsn]

When i added more substrate i rinsed it put it in a measuring cup and lowered it to the bottom so that it is not floating everywhere, and dump it out.

[muck]

I would rinse the sand as well as possible and use a length of 3" or 4" pvc pipe to drop the sand direct to the bottom of the tank. Hopefully that would minimize water cloudyness and sand particles getting all over and into the porous rock/corals.

[Leah]

I rinsed it and put in water conditioner let it sit over night, drained it and added
2 cup fulls at a time to the specific areas I wanted it.
Funny, I was just thinking of adding extra to mine as well but will probably use a bag
of live sand.

[365seasons]

Thanks so much everyone!

We were thinking that would be how it is done, but weren't sure.


Does it make a difference if it is live sand (that's what we have)?

[Alberta-newb]

I use the measuring cup technique as described above as well. I personally don't think you need to use live sand as you already have established sand. The new sand will be "live" very quickly. I would also suggest you don't add too much at once and also gently stir in the new sand with the existing. My worry has been that a layer of new sand might trap aerobic fauna at the surface of an existing bed....my opinion only with NO supporting scientific evidence

[BC564]

I am also going to be adding sand to a now bare bottom tank....but I was going to wait until a water change....turn off the return pump and power heads.....add the sand to my water change tub....and then syphon the water sand mixture out of the tub into the areas I want the sand....like a slurry .......I have done it before on a smaller tank and it worked very well.......