Adding sand questions..

I am getting a new stand for my tank this week and am going to have to disassemble everything in the process. I have been wanting to make my sand bed a little deeper, so I thought that this would be a good time. I want to double the amount I currently have. How should I go about this? Should I mix all the sand up or is it okay to just layer it? I'm worrying that it may cause a mini-cycle or throw something out of balance.

 

I would add a little bit at a time

 

You have a deep sand bed now ? or how deep is it ?

 

If you are referring to the 36 gal. in your signature, I am not sure why you have to disassemble everything. You just add the sand on top of what you have. You would add it around your existing rock. I use a plastic ladle and you could add say 8 cups at a time, each time adding live bacteria at double the marine dose. Allow 7-10 days for the new sand to acclimate and establish a good bacteria base and then add 8 more cups and follow this routine until you have added the desired amount. You will always get a mini cycle but the way I have described will minimize the effect.

 

I have a little more than an inch right now. I have to disassemble everything to put my tank on it's new stand...no WAY would i take it all apart just to add sand haha but thanks! I wasn't sure on whether or not i could do it all at once..I'll just add a little every week.

 

i added 20lbs this weekend.....all at once...

 

IMO an inch to inch and a half is perfect. Otherwise you are approaching the DSB.....which can lead to problems later on down the line.

 

DSBs are not problematical in the least; but they have to be 5-6" minimum. They have a bad reputation because people don't commit and make them deep enough, or have something that stirs it up

And an inch is fine. If you're not going DSB, you don't want more than an inch