Adding Sand?

[Kyle1970]

can I just add sand to my BB tank?
No cycle if no die off correct?
I have crushed coral that I am thinking of adding if the tank is going to be empty when I eradicate the blue clove polyps

 

[scubasteve]

if stocked rinse it well and only add a cup a week and everything will be fine.... if its empty then just fill it up after a good rinsing for the most part you will only get diatoms but levels will fluctuate and cause a small to moderate cycle. rule of thumb is adding anything new will cause a small cycle you just may not be able to notice it depending how much new surface area.

 

[Jewel]

Great advice Steve

 

[Kyle1970]

Trying to decide on some white crushed that I have or I also have a 5 gal pail of Tahitian Moon Black

 

[Pistol]

I added 40lbs of seaflor special, 10lbs at a time over a period of about a week in my 90gal without issue.

 

[Kyle1970]

I'm thinking something very course as I don't like it blowing around!
The black sand will likely sit in the pail. Maybe for a future project or in a "for sale" thread.

 

[Quartapound]

just a word of caution, the more coarse the grain is, the more space is left for detritus to be trapped. I went with the caribsea seaflor special as well and I liked it, didn't really blow around, but I had a vortech so there wasn't anything pointing directly at the sandbed.
...that being said, I'm BB now, lol

 

[Kyle1970]

I've had all kinds of substrate. I know there is a reason I wanted to go BB on my tank!
Maybe I'm just restless..

I did blowtorch off Blue clove polyps the other day. What a mess, what a smell.
And yet, some survived.

I was to the point either change everything in the tank (rid myself of bcp) or shut down and sell which is still an option.

 

[Deptron]

Man you really hate those blue clove polyps don't you!

 

[Kyle1970]

They were out of control. Smothering everything.
Look to be about 95% gone now.
Will stay on it.

 

[Neopimp]

emerald crabs have eaten mien in the past

 

[heath]

I'm thinking something very course as I don't like it blowing around!
The black sand will likely sit in the pail. Maybe for a future project or in a "for sale" thread.

I have the course in the big tank and the finer stuff in the mixed tank and after the holidays the course is coming out....IMHO, the course is looking dirty (its not) compared to the finer white substrate...