Adding Sand After Fish And Inverts

[karaim]

I have a small problem.

Yesterday I bought 2 fish and about 10 inverts to add to my new 125 gallon reef tank (just finished cycling). However, I did not have sand yet (although I did have 240 pounds of live rock). So I bought sand at the LFS along with the 2 fish and 10 inverts (a couple of snails, and a couple of crabs, and a cleaner shrimp).

When I got home, I emptied the 50 pounds of sand that I got into a bucket to clean it. However, I bought 10 packs of 5 sand, and as it turned out there were 5 white bags and 5 pinkish gray bags. Not only that, the white sand was TINY, and the pinkish gray sand was large, and once I mixed them together, it looked pretty ugly.

Herein lies my problem: I didn't add the sand because it was too ugly when mixed together (I noticed the sand was different after mixing ti). But I did add the inverts and the fish to the fish tank (because it would take me too long to drive back to the LFS to buy the correct sand, and I didn't want to risk the fish and inverts dying). I have 2 questions:

1) How can I add sand to a tank where I already have fish and inverts? I am pretty sure I can avoid hitting the fish, but I am not sure about the inverts (especially in the back of the tank where I can't see anything). Will the inverts find their way out of the sand if I accidentally cover them with the sand?

2) Can I use the sand I bought yesterday for my deep sand bed in my refugium? Does it matter that the sand grains are tiny?

Thanks

 

[CageUK]

I would suggest buying a funnel with the corrugated hose attached (fuel funnel type). Make sure it's clean and when the funnel is partially submerged just use a jug to tip the sand into the funnel and direct the flow using the hose outlet. You should be able to avoid pretty much everything in there. If you are very worried then get a small bowl/container, fill it with tank water and put the inverts in there while filling with sand. Put the inverts back in when you have finished.

The tank will be VERY cloudy for a while but should clear within a day or so. I've done this with freshwater tanks on occasion, works a treat.

 

[karaim]

I would suggest buying a funnel with the corrugated hose attached (fuel funnel type). Make sure it's clean and when the funnel is partially submerged just use a jug to tip the sand into the funnel and direct the flow using the hose outlet. You should be able to avoid pretty much everything in there. If you are very worried then get a small bowl/container, fill it with tank water and put the inverts in there while filling with sand. Put the inverts back in when you have finished.

The tank will be VERY cloudy for a while but should clear within a day or so. I've done this with freshwater tanks on occasion, works a treat.

Thank you, that's actually a very good idea.