Opinion on storing live sand

[mark78]

My 125 has a DSB and I'm not sure what I plan to do in the new tank, SSB, BB, DSB(unlikely) so I'd like to hang on to some of it.

I was thinking of getting a trash can for the sand, with some salt water... maybe run the tank through the top of it, like a giant sand bucket filter.

Problem is it will be some time before the new tank is ready to go, and I hate to throw out 150lbs of very healthy sand thats been in the tank for 2 years, no signs of clumping at all, as I am tearing down the tank the sand is as light and fluffy as the day I put it in. I'd like to hang on to it but I need to break this tank down, as I said could be 6 months before the new tank is ready. All the rock, my 1 fish and shrimp are going in a 75g transition tank in the mean time, which is what I would plumb the trash can to.

Opinions?

 

[Anonymous]

Why not store the sand dry? If you add anything from other tanks you're bound to get the biodiversity back.

not to mention after a couple years I'm sure your DSB has quite a few nasties lurking in it.

 

[mark78]

I'm more concerend about things dieing and breaking down in the sand as it sits damp... when I set up the new tank all that craps gonna turn to phos/nitrates =/

 

[Anonymous]

The phosphate and nitrate will mostly in the water, so if the critters does dies, you just need to drain and risen the sand before using it. For some fine particle, it can absorb a bit, but for the most part, it should be fine. Keep in mind that the sand you brought from store are harvested from the ocean, and it is very similar situation there. Unless, of course, that you use quarried aragonite that have been siting on ground for millions of years.

 

[danmhippo]

If you let the sand sit in trashcan for too long, even if you circulate the water above the sand, you are bound to get anaerobic area developed in the sand, and possible hydrogen sulphate developed.

I'd suggest scoop up only the top inch of the current sandbed, and store them in shallow plastic buckets with circulating water. The rest of the sandbed will be rinsed and stored dry. Since you have preserved the top layer of the sandbed, you can reseed the rest relatively easy.

 

[Anonymous]

If you let the sand sit in trashcan for too long, even if you circulate the water above the sand, you are bound to get anaerobic area developed in the sand, and possible hydrogen sulphate developed.

I'd suggest scoop up only the top inch of the current sandbed, and store them in shallow plastic buckets with circulating water. The rest of the sandbed will be rinsed and stored dry. Since you have preserved the top layer of the sandbed, you can reseed the rest relatively easy.

That's what I would do as well.

 

[mark78]

the top layer is pretty nasty due to the lack of maintenance and 2 broken scwd's for the last 6 months. Just lots of sediment and hair algae mixed on the top layer with all the work I've been doing in it.

I'll syphon it into a trash can then drill holes in the trash can so it can dry? I hate scooping sand, bought a 1.25" bilge hose for siphoning sand and gravel, worked great on my 75, I now have 3, 5 gallon buckets of home depot play sand (non-southdown) to use around the yard

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[danmhippo]

If that's what you have for the top layer, then I'd suggest store all of them as rinsed dry sand. Let new LR and maybe a few mm thick of good LS reseed your old dry sand.