Sand Change?

[lewiss]

Yo,

Does anyone do sand changes on here? Mines been in over a year and just wondering if I should be???

Also I have a brown layer of grime (not slimy just looking brown!) on my rocks - I assume algae - anyone come up with anything else? I don't know what my phosphates are at the moment!! Test kit run out! everything else is fine.

 

[Donya]

If you need to clean the sand bed due to a lot of debris building up, just get a gravel vac, and control the suction rate by putting a bend in the tube with one hand to avoid sucking all the sand out (if any gets sucked out, let it settle in the bucket, poor off the icky water, and you can recollect it). If you put a big bunch of brand new sand in, unless it's because you just hated the color of the old one and want some other mineral content to get a different look (like black sand or something), you won't solve any nutrient issues by replacing with the same. New sand will just force recolonization and possibley give you another round of diatoms and cyano. Mature sand beds can need "topping up" if the tank runs for long enough (usually years), because little bits will dissolve over time. If you have a high CaCO3 demand in the tank it might speed it up a litle bit, but not much since usually such tanks would be supplemented with kalk/alk boosters to avoid putting the entire buffering burden on the substrate.

 

[seffieuk]

As Donya says, sand beds might need a small top-up after a while - I just recently topped mine up a bit, but only two litres (measuring jug ) worth.


Seffie x

 

[lewiss]

It's looks fine just wondered if there were any benefits to do a change!! From what you said - I'm going with no!! thanks Donya!!

 

[seffieuk]

A complete change is a no, no..........you would only do this in a very old tank

Seffie x

 

[sorgan]

If you have a decent sand sifter in tank then even in a really old tank you wouldn't need to change the sand, a good goby will keep your sandbed in tip top nick.