Info needed - cleaning old sand

paddyob · #1 08-13-2010, 09:29 PM

I have some sand I removed from my other tank 2 weeks ago before I moved...

I want to know the best way to clean it so I can put it in my new 70 set up.

Can I just dump it in and let it cycle over the next month or so... or do I need to wash it?

Any info appreciated.

reefwars · #2 08-13-2010, 10:53 PM

I'm washing sand I have left over I'm doing small amounts in a bucket, I fil the bucket with water and stir like a madman then siphon out the Water and then repeat a million times lol

fencer · #3 08-13-2010, 10:59 PM

If your going to cycle for a month just wash it a couple of times before you put it back in the tank

Myka · #4 08-13-2010, 11:02 PM

It will probably leech nitrate and phosphate, so it depends how much you care about that. A perfectionist would "cook" the sand in a similar way to how you cook live rock. Many people will just rinse well and re-use. Personally, I would not use used sand without cooking it as I do not enjoy algae blooms.

paddyob · #5 08-13-2010, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

It will probably leech nitrate and phosphate, so it depends how much you care about that. A perfectionist would "cook" the sand in a similar way to how you cook live rock. Many people will just rinse well and re-use. Personally, I would not use used sand without cooking it as I do not enjoy algae blooms.

Cook? How so? In my oven???? Boil???

The tank is new so will have nothing in it for the next month... so algae bloom could be part of natural cycle anyhow.

Let me know your process.

blacknife · #6 08-13-2010, 11:24 PM

planing something out last night, i dug into the old sand bucket thats been sitting for months... it did not smell to bad but there were some pretty black areas in it that cant be to good for reuse without a good rinse, but then it was kind of black when i pulled it out. i would think if it looks and smells healthy and your cycling anyways that it would not be that bad with just a quick rinse.

I think i will try to cook mine then use it to make some frag plugs or some other kind of aggrocreete so its not a total waste.

reefwars · #7 08-13-2010, 11:37 PM

i think the cooking is sunbaked but im not really sure id like to know myself as i am in no hurry for sand and can afford to let it sit and bake for a time

Dez · #8 08-14-2010, 04:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myka

It will probably leech nitrate and phosphate, so it depends how much you care about that. A perfectionist would "cook" the sand in a similar way to how you cook live rock. Many people will just rinse well and re-use. Personally, I would not use used sand without cooking it as I do not enjoy algae blooms.

I used 10 year old sand from my friend's reef and have never had an algae bloom. He's had an established system for 10 years (and it's by no means a pristine tank) running a deep sand bed. He decided to go to a shallow sand bed and yanked a bunch of sand out. It went into his backyard and I got some and just rinsed thoroughly with tap water and my full sps system has been running just over a year with no algae blooms.

So what you are saying is that my algae bloom hasn't happened yet? I am kind of a perfectionist (at least I think I am) but I'm also very cheap, so free was better than buying sand.

I also used 10 plus year old live rock.

Maybe it's because I'm running ULNS that I haven't had an algae bloom?

I think it's fairly safe to say from my own experience just rinse several times with water until it runs clearish and you should be okay.