DSB question

[Johnny]

Can I use the sand from my 39 gallon with a DSB in my 100 gallon with a shallow sand bed? I will be setting the 100 up and cycling with live rock and maybe a dead shrimp from the grocery store, then I would like to move everything from the 39 over.

I am worried the sand may have some type of gas built up in it and cause a problem in the new system. I plan to only have about a 2 inch sand bed in the new tank.

 

[reedman]

Rinse it

Johnny,

I would think that if you were to rinse the sand that would rid it of any gaseous buildups. This would also get rid of any detritus buildups as well. On a smaller tank this should be fairly easy to do with a 5 gallon bucket.

JMHO

 

[Mushroom Boy]

I agree with Reed. When I set my 100 gallon up a few years back, I used old sand from my 40 gallon as the "base" sand. I rinsed it prior to use and never had a problem that I could tell.

 

[Johnny]

That will be good not to have to replace all that sand. I will have to go through the sand pretty good to remove all the nasarrius(sp) snails and whatever else is in there, I would not want to rinse them away. Thanks for the advice.

 

[reedman]

Make up some salt water and rinse in that. The Nassarius snails and such should be fine.

 

[fishermann]

yeah make sure you rinse in salt water, as far as any gas goes, it is gas not solids, it should disapate out into the water when you disturb the pocket it is in. if you have any at all, i wouldn't get carried away rinsing you maybe getting rid of some good things too, maybe mike knows more.

 

[Johnny]

In that case could I just stir it around real good in the 39 gallon after every thing is removed and then transfer it?

 

[Ray Pollett]

Do not stir it. Put the new sand in the 100 first and then add the sand from the old tank. You do not need to cycle the new tank first. the Sand and LR form the old tank will do that, and you may not even see a cycle.

I do this all the time in this business. Desturb the old sand as little as possible. It is full of the good bacteria and other life forms.

Ray

 

[Montanarocknreefer]

I would agree with Ray!