more sand
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Reef Chemistry
Forum Description: A place to discuss reef chemistry.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=45174
Printed Date: October 27 2025 at 4:51pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.03 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: more sand
Posted By: davser
Subject: more sand
Date Posted: December 06 2010 at 1:07am
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i dont know if this is the right place but here it goes, i added 10 lbs of aragonite sand to my 1 and a half yeard old sand bed, do i have to worry about any nitrates cycle or ammonia or anything like that also how long will it take for the cloudines to clear up? some told me about two hours ------------- It's not about what you know but about who you know |
Replies:
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: December 06 2010 at 8:20am
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Depends how you added it. If the new sand is siting on top of the existing LS then it smothered the life, so, Yes there will be a pollution problem. Would you like to know the best way to add sand? Push everything aside and add the new stuff all in one place or underneath the older sand. Do you know how to handle this so the pollution gets eaten up right away? Turn on the lights 24 hours/day so the algae can eat up the pollution. In a reef tank with good life, it can clear up in less than an hour, if the sand was rinsed first. In the future, please feel free to use this message board to ask questions to avoid problems before taking an action. You will find that we take the time to explain and instruct in the details that an LFS can't do. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: davser
Date Posted: December 06 2010 at 8:45am
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i just put sand on top of new sand but i mixed it aroundi dont know if that will help ------------- It's not about what you know but about who you know |
Posted By: Luckedout
Date Posted: December 06 2010 at 10:40am
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It was just dead sand right? Not a bag of live sand? I really wouldn't expect any type of cycle or anything to happen unless it was live sand that had been sitting in a bucket somewhere or out of those store bought live sand bags. ------------- -Ben 90g Mixed reef www.body-balancechiropractic.com |
Posted By: davser
Date Posted: December 06 2010 at 6:41pm
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it was live sand from a bag :( it was only 10 pounds to a 40 pound sand bed i might syphon it tomorrow ------------- It's not about what you know but about who you know |
Posted By: Luckedout
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 1:55am
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Nah, by now you're pretty much into it if it's going to start cycling. Just kick up the skimmer, do a water change and hang some carbon. Your tank should be able to ride it out if you are careful.
------------- -Ben 90g Mixed reef www.body-balancechiropractic.com |
Posted By: SGH360
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 1:59am
| Keed in mind if your tank decides to do a mini cycle and you have ich or some other disease that you want to keep supressed this is the time you need to keep the stress levels to the lowest, if not fish immunity system will go low and the disease that were able to fight off it will quickly overwhelm them. |
Posted By: davser
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 8:30am
i will do a water change today, add some carbon and try to not stress the fish they seem healthy but you never know i test my water yesterday and i was kind of scare i had like 10 nitrates 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites ph is right up there at 8.8 and i had really being lazzy this last two weeks about dosing everything i will also add some bacteria supplement to speed things up and then i guess i will have to make a trip to fish 4 u to test my water  ------------- It's not about what you know but about who you know |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 10:57am
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The pH cannot be 8.8 Read again what I said about the best way to handle the pollution caused by adding some new sand. Notice that I said nothing about water changes or activated carbon. AC does nothing for pollution and a water change in this situation only adds unneeded nutrients. Pollution is the word I use to describe the nutrients that create the Nitrogen Cycle you have heard about. There will be little or no cycle if you follow my suggestion. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 11:05am
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Nitrates at 10 ppm is great. Leave it alone and do not vacuum the sand. If you see a little extra algae growing over the next 3-7 days, don't worry. That's normal. Leaving the lights on for more hours will shorten that effect. It's all about helping the tank to eat up the added pollution. The sand had bacteria in it though it had a lot of dead bacteria in it too. This is where the extra pollution comes from. Make sense?  ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: davser
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 12:17pm
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i double checked again it is right at 8.8 i will follow your advise Mark thank you ------------- It's not about what you know but about who you know |
Posted By: SGH360
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 12:41pm
| whats your Alk levels? |
Posted By: davser
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 1:39pm
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not to sure about alk im guessing around 9 or 10 ------------- It's not about what you know but about who you know |
Posted By: CapnMorgan
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 8:17pm
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Alk is much more important than pH. If Alk is maintained at correct levels pH will follow. The relationship between Ca and Alk is one most important (if not the most important) parameters you need to maintain in a reef aquarium. Another thing to keep in mind. The "live" sand in bags isn't very lively at all. You would be better off buying a bag of dead sand and seeding it with a cup or two from someone else's tank. ------------- Steve http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40637&PID=356246" rel="nofollow - My Old 180G Mixed Reef Currently: 120G Wavefront Mixed 29G Seahorse & Softies Running ReefAngel Plus x2 435-8 |
Posted By: jaschall
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 9:16pm
So would this also be true.
If pH is maintained at correct levels will Alk follow?
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CapnMorgan wrote:Posted By: CapnMorgan
Date Posted: December 07 2010 at 9:25pm
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Unfortunately not. Alk is the carbonate hardness and buffering capacity of the water (i.e. dissolved carbonates). pH is the concentration of Hydrogen Ions in the water (acidity). ------------- Steve http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40637&PID=356246" rel="nofollow - My Old 180G Mixed Reef Currently: 120G Wavefront Mixed 29G Seahorse & Softies Running ReefAngel Plus x2 435-8 |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: December 09 2010 at 11:48am
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Sorry, but I say again. It cannot be 8.8 pH At a pH of 8.8 the tank would be dead. Some might tell you to check the pH with another kit or the LFS. What I suggest is to forget pH and test the Alkalinity as soon as possible There is no way to guess at it. If Alk and Ca are within range and water flow is good so that gas exchange is good, you will never need to think about pH ever again. Seriously. ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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