How to clean used sand

[Reefdad]

If I am going to get used live sand to start a new system is there a proper way to wash it so that I don't potentially introduce something into my new setup.

 

[Roc]

I would wash it until the water is no longer cloody

 

[reefermadness]

no reason to "wash it" you will kill the beneficial bacteria. just run your filter to get the cloudiness out. also, if u put a plate down and pour the water onto the plate u will get alot less cloudiness. after the water clears up, swap out filters.

 

[sfsuphysics]

I would most DEFINITELY wash it. You'll need to cycle it anyways to get the bacteria back, most likely it's dead and stinky too if it's in a bucket waiting to go in your tank. Plus all the gunk and other crap (literally) that it's picked up in another tank is just asking to be washed away.

 

[reefermadness]

well, if its already dried out, of course wash it.but if its fresh out of a tank, i wouldnt. but thats me

 

[Reefdad]

So wash or not wash. If I wash it I will loose all bacteria but I assume that isn't a big deal because I will be adding LR wont that reseed the SB?

 

[reefermadness]

yea, that`ll reseed it. or you could add in with microbe lift or cycle. i guess washing it with saltwater wont kill the bacteria.

 

[Reefdad]

If I am gong to wash it does it mater if I use tap water or ro/di water.

 

[reefermadness]

use ro/di. i never use tap near my fish stuff. but since you have to run your filters, any contaminates from the tap water should be gone. but i wouldnt. im sure sum1 will say otherwise.

 

[Elite]

If the sand is old (over 2 years), I would wash it really good. I wouldn't worry too much about kill the sand/bacteria. Just reseed the the sandbed for some LS from another tank. You can put the sand in a 5G bucket. Fill it to about 1/3 of the bucket and wash it with FW until the water is clear. I washed my sand with tap water.

 

[Reefdad]

i assume if i wash it my tank wont be so cloudy?

 

[reefermadness]

lay cheesecloth over a spaghetti strainer and fill with sand, and run water thru it.

oh, itll still be cloudy, its just a matter of how much

 

[Elite]

If you wash it really good, the sand will settle down within 1 day.. Run the filter and skimmer if you can.. You will have to wait for the tank to finish cycle anyway so who care if the tank cloudy for several days or couple weeks??

 

[reefermadness]

i always put in micron filters or the filter socks and it clears up in a couple hours, but i have always bought my l/s or dead sand from stores. dont know how much difference that makes

 

[70Cuda]

I think I read somewhere that Jeff washed his live sand with saltwater and didnt have any bad results. I think he didnt that to not kill his bacteria. You should defenitly rinse if you can.
Alot of organic waste and detritis build up off of moving the live rock will be in that sand. You dont want to have that release into your system causing a spike in your parameters as the stuff slowly leaches into your new sysem.

 

[Roc]

[quote author=reefermadness link=topic=6495.msg83396#msg83396 date=1235333651]
well, if its already dried out, of course wash it.but if its fresh out of a tank, i wouldnt. but thats me
[/quote]

Ummm anytime you distub sand and move it it's a good idea to wash it, do you have any idea how much crap gets trapped in the sand, you can nuke your whole tank if you don't wash it.

Most if not all the bactirea that is there will still be alive after a wash, unless you guys think touching fresh water to salt water animals kills them instantly..............

 

[patrickb]

I wouldn't wash it. I would just dump it all into your tank and deal with the cloudiness. Run a skimmer and make sure the tank completely cycled before you add anything to it.

 

[reefermadness]

[quote author=patrickb link=topic=6495.msg83419#msg83419 date=1235340767]
I wouldn't wash it. I would just dump it all into your tank and deal with the cloudiness. Run a skimmer and make sure the tank completely cycled before you add anything to it.


[/quote] +1...thats what i said. especially it comes from a tank that was working fine, and was just a sell off or a tear down.

 

[Eight]

I always wash. So much waste gets stuck in the bed. We spend so much money and energy trying to get our parameters perfect... you get very few chances to clean the bed properly... why not take the hour or two to rinse it thoroughly in tap water?

 

[Roc]

[quote author=reefermadness link=topic=6495.msg83422#msg83422 date=1235341652]
[quote author=patrickb link=topic=6495.msg83419#msg83419 date=1235340767]
I wouldn't wash it. I would just dump it all into your tank and deal with the cloudiness. Run a skimmer and make sure the tank completely cycled before you add anything to it.


[/quote] +1...thats what i said. especially it comes from a tank that was working fine, and was just a sell off or a tear down.
[/quote]

What are the reasons NOT to wash, I mean lots of ppl have said the reason to wash, but are you guys saying don't wash just cuz it's an extra step? or are you saying something will happen to the sand to make it not benififal to the bactirial filtration and make up of the tank?????