Sand change...help

[Staaan]

So I made the mistake.. of buying black live sand. I thought it looked so cool in the bag..

Only to find out that I hated the way it looked in my 24 gallon Aquapod.

The tank has been running for 1.5 months now.. if not more.

*Only have a spotted mandarin, and a cowfish in there (cowfish which I'm trying to sell, check it out on the marketplace)
I have a friend's tank to put them both in..

I rather enjoy my tank every time I look at it rather than hate the way the that sand looked.. so I wanted to know if swapping out the sand w/ other sand.. would induce a huge ammonia spike.. or just a little one.. or non at all?

Question #2..

What would be the BEST way of going about this sand change..

I figured... I'd just drain my tank water in to a plastic (rinsed) storage bin, scoop out the old sand, and put the new one in.


Thanks for any & all input!!

 

[cmor1701d]

The sandbed is a large part of yoru bilogical filter. Remove it all at once and figure on cycling the tank again. The water contains almost no beneficial bacteria.

So IMO yes, a tank teardown is required, scop out the black sand, replace and cycle the tank?

Is that mandarin eating prepared food?

 

[Lenny718]

The sandbed is a large part of yoru bilogical filter. Remove it all at once and figure on cycling the tank again. The water contains almost no beneficial bacteria.

So IMO yes, a tank teardown is required, scop out the black sand, replace and cycle the tank?

Is that mandarin eating prepared food?

I agree, If you take out ALL of the sand in such a small tank you are definitely going to have a cycle. Either do a little bit each week or live with the black sand. Now on to the mandarin, your tank is rather small and still very new to be keeping such delicate animal, unless he is eating prepared food and even then I still wouldn't recommend keeping him in such a new tank.

 

[TRUKINGNY]

bump

 

[Lenny718]

bump

Why are you bumping this thread when your not the OP? Is there something you need to know? If so just feel free to ask away

 

[Dre]

Why are you bumping this thread when your not the OP? Is there something you need to know? If so just feel free to ask away

:lol2: :funnypost

 

[Staaan]

Lol.. thanks for the help guys.

I'm just going to tear down the tank, and start fresh.

I actually remembered that the first time I set up the tank, I used "fresh" tap water.. bc it was going to be a FOWLR, and guy at the LFS said it'll be fine.

But anyway.. I just purchased a 6 Stage RO/DI Unit, so hopefully it'll come by this weekend and I can get started.

Thanks again for the help!

 

[Staaan]

*Btw.. if anyone would like to help me get started out quicker haha..

My cowfish is up for sale --> http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/sale-trade/72982-longhorn-cowfish.html