Info needed - cleaning old sand

[reefwars]

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

[whatcaneyedo]

To 'cook' liverock you place it in an unlit container full of circulating heated water with a skimmer and do occasional water changes on it until everything photosynthetic has died off and the water tests undetectable for things like nitrate and phosphate.

[MitchM]

Cooking live rock is easier than cleaning live sand, because you can provide circulation around live rock by stacking the live rock properly (Leaving lots of space in between).
Cooking live sand (which I haven't actually heard of before) would be the same principle, but it is pretty difficult to provide circulation around sand that isn't being fluidized.
The cooking process works by both diffusion (using clean salt water) and bacterial turgor where the bacteria on and in the rock and/or sand reproduce, multiply and consume nitrate and phosphate then wind up depositing their waste products to the surrounding clean water. You need to keep changing the water to keep the diffusion process going in the right direction.

I think that was what Myka was referring to, and correct me if I am wrong.



Mitch

[bignose]

you could also get new sand and add some of your current sand on top.

[paddyob]

Originally Posted by bignose

you could also get new sand and add some of your current sand on top.

I got two new bags of sand but i dont want to throw my old sand away....

if placing it in a "system" without light and doing water changes is all that is necessary.... sounds like I could just go ahead... rinse it a bit and start my new tank cycling and let it clear up... there is only about 20-25 lbs.... less than half of what I am adding new.

Clean the worms out and go to town???

[paddyob]

Also... there will be no livestock of any sort until cycling is done.

[The Grizz]

I used a large fish net and rinsed 2 cups at a time until the water was clean. Put it back into the tank, added water, rock, coral and fish the next day without any issues.

Have done this a few time's now.