Adding DSB to a tank with livestock...

[Reefguide]

I have a 40g breeder set up as a grow out tank for clowns. There are currently only about 11 clowns all about 2 months old. I'd like to add a DSB. My questions:

1- Will the tank cycle if I add a 4" DSB ? My LFS says there should be enough bacteria already present in the tank and a cycle shouldn't take place.

2- Being that I plan on adding Playsand and seed it with a cup of sand from my main tank I know if will get a bit murky for a day or two. Will this be harmfull for my baby clowns or the 2 atlantic anemones I have in there? I could pull the clowns and anemones out and place them in a 10g but catching them all would be too stressful on them IMO. I'd like to make these changes with the livestock in the tank.

What do you guys think? Thanks...

 

[tetra]

It might cycle because you will be covering the older sand and I am not sure what would happen.


You can minimize the murkiness of the water with the disposition of the new sand through a funnel and a pvc pipe to get real close to the sandbed.

 

[Reefguide]

I forgot to mention it's Bare-bottom right now !! No substrate at all !

 

[Reefguide]

Shameless Bump !!

 

[wombat1]

The best way to do it is to seed the sand in a separate container, to allow bacteria to attach to the grains. Supposedly this makes the grains heavier and there will be less cloudiness when added to the tank. A little sand storm won't hurt your fish or anemone, IMO.

 

[Reefguide]

Thanks... Thats a good idea....

The other question, will added dead sand make the tank cycle?

 

[JohnD]

About a year ago, I added a 4 inch DSB to a CC bottom tank that had been set up for 2+ years. I removed all of the crittiers, LR and CC. Everything, minus the CC was placed in a backup tank. I then cleaned the original tank very well before adding the SouthDown play sand. I readded the water very slowly into the tank, along with the LR and criiters.

While the water was a little cloudy, it was not really bad, IMO. My BakPak skimmer only went a little crazy. Everything was back to normal in less than 16 hours.

I had no die off from this, so there was no cycle. This process from start to finish took about 4 - 5 hours.

HTH

 

[Reefguide]

Anyone else?

 

[Anonymous]

I had CC in a 55. I removed the CC and added SD sand. A cycle followed for about three weeks to a month. The cyano was annoying,but was easily overcome. A few months ago I Moved the 55 to a 125 and experienced a massive bloom due to the addition of some new sand(about another 150-200 Lbs). I was almost at the breaking point when it finally broke. Now my tank looks great. New sand, just like a plain piece of rock will need time to seed, so expect a bloom. If one never surfaces your lucky. If one does, just be prepared with a turkey baster in hand.
Good luck

 

[Expos Forever]

I personally wouldn't risk it with little baby clowns. Are you having water quality problems in your grow out tank? If you're stuck on the idea, IMO the only way to go is do what Wombat suggested and cycle your sand in a separate container and then as tetra suggested using pvc/funnel to "deliver" the sand. I used two 2L bottles Macgyvered together. That way you can add a little at a time.

I may be missing something but I can't understand how adding dead sand would ever cause a cycle, unless it's real dirty or something is dieing off in the process? Good luck.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok, use pantyhose to put the sand in. However, know that once you open them and release it, you'll experience a bit of loss of your culture, so just long enough for initial seeding.

Next, to the best of my knowledge, sand that has no culture of organisms shouldn't "cause" a new cycle in as much as it simply needs to time to become home to greater numbers of the bacteria (nitrifying) that you already have in situ. When creating a brand new DSB, you should expect a much longer cycle time. Good quality l/r should help provide the seed stock for the denitrifying bacteria.

I am hearing of more and more folks cautioning against using Southdown, mainly because of processing methods.

 

[Anonymous]

How small are the clowns exactly? I had no problems with full grown clowns, but I might worry about their gills getting clogged with sand if they're super small.

 

[Reefguide]

They are still pretty small only about 2 months old. I am having water quality issues thats why I'm considering a DSB. I'm just worried about Amonia & Nitrite levels peaking !

 

[dick182]

I personally wouldn't risk it with little baby clowns. Are you having water quality problems in your grow out tank? If you're stuck on the idea, IMO the only way to go is do what Wombat suggested and cycle your sand in a separate container and then as tetra suggested using pvc/funnel to "deliver" the sand. I used two 2L bottles Macgyvered together. That way you can add a little at a time.

I may be missing something but I can't understand how adding dead sand would ever cause a cycle, unless it's real dirty or something is dieing off in the process? Good luck.

I agree wait till the babies are gone, then do it.

 

[dick182]

I personally wouldn't risk it with little baby clowns. Are you having water quality problems in your grow out tank? If you're stuck on the idea, IMO the only way to go is do what Wombat suggested and cycle your sand in a separate container and then as tetra suggested using pvc/funnel to "deliver" the sand. I used two 2L bottles Macgyvered together. That way you can add a little at a time.

I may be missing something but I can't understand how adding dead sand would ever cause a cycle, unless it's real dirty or something is dieing off in the process? Good luck.

I agree wait till the babies are gone, then do it.