Changing sand

[kclinton]

I was thinking about taking out my black moon sand and putting white or a bright colour. Any ideas on how to do this or what kind of sand?

 

[ianclick]

Hi Karrie,

Pool filter sand is a pure white and can be purchased at most pool supply shops.

To change substrates is a wee bit of a mission. Fisrt remove your axies using some of the already cycled tank water and place them in the fridge. Then you need to drain the water from your tank and keep it to put back in once you have changed your sand. Don't wash or clean your plants and tank decorations as they have active bacteria on them and you may start your tank cycling again.

Wash the sand by placing it in cheese cloth or a pillow case and running water through it until the water runs clear and then add it to your tank.

Refill your tank with the water you removed earlier and leave it to settle. when the water is not cloudy anymore you can reintroduce your axies.

Bear in mind that you will be upsetting the bacteria balance and your tank may start cycling again so you will be back to water checks and partial water changes for a while until your tank has cycled.

Good luck

 

[kclinton]

Thanks for the info. Sence I was changing the sand I went ahead and got a bigger tank for them as well. Right now I'am rinseing the sand out its blue. I'am going to put in new tank. Put the water from the old tank in. Fill the rest of the way with declo. water. My filter is a interanal one just going to put that one in with the plants decorations. I will test the water every day to keep eye on the levels. Does this sound good?

 

[MRIGUY]

Another option is to remove all of the old sand and replace with the new. Keep the old sand and use as much as you can fit unto a few fine mesh filter bags. Place the bags in some sort of filter and circulte the water through them for few weeks while the new sand colonizes. The filter can ve as simple as a clay flower pot up on a few bricks. Pump tank water in the top and let it drain out the bottom. It is cheap and very efficient.

 

[kclinton]

That is a good idea thanks.