Substrate Question

[prism127]

I just bought a used 90 gallon and it has a bunch on crushed coral in it. the tank was emptied a week ago except for about 1 inch of water to keep the substrate wet. There is possibly small snails and other stuff living in it. Should I use it like it is and just fill with the water from my current tank, Take the substrate out and clean it then use it or throw it out and buy new stuff. or just use what is in my current tank since this is an upgrade?

 

[BigReefer]

I have always done new sand myself ....

but thats me
I prefer Black as well

unibob got me some

 

[TORX]

I would always suggest new. Gasses and crap get stored in the bottom of the tank in the substrate. When you remove the sand and mix it, toxic crap will come back to the surface. Cleaning it is almost too much of a headache, lots of water, stirring, rinsing ... repeat again and again. Buying new is what I suggest. Leaving stagnant water in the tank to keep the substrate wet will just become a toxic nightmare. I personally reused for my current 120 set up, but that is because I am cheap and at the time, I had the time to do it.

 

[reef keeper]

I reused mine from my old 150. Took hours to rinse, but saved me a couple hundred bucks. If you reuse it, make sure you really wash it. Then use some of your existing to reseed it. Keep in mind that it will have zero bio load and you will likely have a bit of a cycle with the new rock and sand.

 

[prism127]

shouldnt be bad to cycle im using the water from my 75 gallon and have about 150 pounds of live rock for it

 

[reef keeper]

The water means squat really. Is it live rock from your tank? Or new live rock? If it's new live rock, then the cycle will be bad due to die off.