Sand removal?

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Delphinus

(The sand that is, I don't know why you think I would mean anything else by that.)

you did see who posted the comment, right??

I guess it's the only real way. I'm not concerned with gases, the sand is fairly shallow and well turned over by the wrasses (the problem to begin with)

[Delphinus]

Well, originally I had typed "suck it up, princess" but decided against it .. but I kept the disclaimer. Because "suck it up" sometimes means, you know, suck it up, and not, suck it up. You know. So in this case, suck up the sand, suck it up with the bucket, I know it sucks, but you can do it.

[Aquattro]

Tony, that whole idea kinda, you know, sucks.....

[RPatsula]

I am going to attempt to change my sand bed as well. My sand bed is fairly shallow and quite fine. I have two questions, the first being what did you replace your sand bed with, how course was the new sand that you ended up using. The second question is did you use a siphon hose or a pump to remove the existing sand bed.

Thank you
Rick

[MMAX]

Originally Posted by RPatsula

I am going to attempt to change my sand bed as well. My sand bed is fairly shallow and quite fine. I have two questions, the first being what did you replace your sand bed with, how course was the new sand that you ended up using. The second question is did you use a siphon hose or a pump to remove the existing sand bed.

Thank you
Rick

I've changed mine a few times. Went from sugar sand to crushed coral then to select grade. When I changed it out I shut off all my pumps & powerheads and just scooped it out. A vac might have worked better for the sugar sand.

[lastlight]

depending on the sand it can jam up a pump really well then you have to shut it off which allows some back into the tank. results in a mess.

simply siphon the sand out with a decent-sized hose. your water will remain exactly as it looked before and it will remove the sand entirely.

when adding new sand back in i swish small amounts in a bowl to remove floaties then strain it a net-full at a time under running water to remove fines. it goes back into the tank almost crystal clear.

[Reef Puffer]

Maybe syphon sand into large bucket and overflow mosly just water (maybe a sheet or filter of some sort here to catch the fine bits of sand still turned up in the water) into a larger pail underneath with a pump returning the water to dt? Idk if that makes sense? I was picturing a 5 gallon pail on a box over a small kiddy pool with a retun pump and a sheet/filter between the two? Now that i think about it tho... Syphon into a smaller tank with an overflow into a sump and return the water to display. Sand should stay in smaller tank with overflow, no?