212jay

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Miami Beach
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I am running a BB setup (95% softies) I have alot of flow in the tank and the corals do not like it but if I lower the flow it will be a pain in the arse to clean.(alot LR) So I want to add a DSB (I KNOW, I KNOW)
How would I go about doing this? What kind of sand should I use? Where do I pick it up? Should I expect any ill effect? Should the tank cycle again? Anyone have any sand? lol
Thanks Jay
 

noodleman

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you can find sand anywhere...in petstores, HD, but make sure its argonite based. To do so just take a pinch of the sand adn drop it in soem vinegar and it should bubble. If you use dry sand there shouldn't be much or any cycle. Add it slowly in a cup and bring it to the bottom, you dont want a sand cloud in you tank ;)
 

Manny

Flying Kimura
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stamford, ct
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I used a pvc tube and a funnel. I put the tube flush at the bottom, filled it up with my sand, then slowly lifted the tube to let the sand out.

worked great for me
almost no cloudiness if you do it right

good luck

almost forgot..
when all the sand is out of the tube... cap off the bottom and all the cloudy water should stay in the tube.
 
Last edited:

chasesng

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stamford ct
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just fyi....i'm a newbie who spent a solid week combing the internet, local hardware stores, big box hardware stores, walmarts, etc. looking for southdown. i looked pretty damn hard and never found any. its pretty much all silica based out there...at least in the fairfield county area.

finally called old castle which bought southdown. sales rep at old castle told me that they dont sell it anymore... supplier down south shut down. only place i've seen southdown is on ebay at $10 per bag plus about $25 for shipping.

your better off checking a local pet warehouse type place for carib sea aragonite sand....about $20 (i seem to recall) for a 30lb bag.

others on this site have indicated that the aragalive isnt worth the money. thats sand in the bag wet with sort of comatose bacteria (as i understand it). "they" say you're better off sticking with basic aragonite sand and adding live sand from someone else...or just go the old fashioned way and let it cycle slowly.
 

dannyl

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Brookyn
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chasesng said:
just fyi....i'm a newbie who spent a solid week combing the internet, local hardware stores, big box hardware stores, walmarts, etc. looking for southdown. i looked pretty damn hard and never found any. its pretty much all silica based out there...at least in the fairfield county area.

finally called old castle which bought southdown. sales rep at old castle told me that they dont sell it anymore... supplier down south shut down. only place i've seen southdown is on ebay at $10 per bag plus about $25 for shipping.

your better off checking a local pet warehouse type place for carib sea aragonite sand....about $20 (i seem to recall) for a 30lb bag.

others on this site have indicated that the aragalive isnt worth the money. thats sand in the bag wet with sort of comatose bacteria (as i understand it). "they" say you're better off sticking with basic aragonite sand and adding live sand from someone else...or just go the old fashioned way and let it cycle slowly.


I'm also new to this. I've posted a few weeks ago about looking into setting up a tank in the wall. Which I may be turning away from that (hehe) it seems to be a very hard task and to maintain. But my question relating to the carib sea aragonite sand (30lb bag). I bought this on-line this past week. I bought 60lb of this for my 55g tank. How long would it take if I do it the old fashioned way and let it cycle slowly?
 

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