Back from Vacation

Got back from 10 days away and my neighbor fed a little frozen every night but I have a little hair algae growing and some green coloring in the sand. I need to add more sand anyway Can I add 5 LBS of sand to my tank? I have a 46 gallon with only 2-3 lbs of sand now. I have 65 lbs of LR. All paramaters are perfect. No phosphate or nitrate showing up. I think just just a little too much feeding. Will adding new Live sand mess anything up?
Thanks

 

I have added dry sand to an established tank with no problems other than a little dusting. Not sure on the live sand. I would think there is the possibility of a cycle due to die off of organisms in the sand. JMPO

 

I think you can add it just fine, but agree with yamaharider of a mini cycle. I would think the cycle shoud be no problem.

 

Why do you want to add more LS?



luna

 

I need more sand. I can see parts of the glass and the sand is looking all crappy. I like new sand more for looks. I will rinse the sand real good and try to do it slowly. Do you guys think a phosphate reactor is much better than having my ferric oxide in my power filter? Does it make a difference?
Thanks

 

I run a reactor and it works for me. Ive never tried it in a filter so cant help you there.

 

I would just scrape the offending sand up (just a little off the top layer) and do it that way. I have to do this today with my little 10g tank. Then check your nitrate and phosphate levels and see what you can do about that.

And yes....a phosphate reactor is going to work better than something you just pass water through. Carbon reactors also. Eventually, when money loosens up around here, I am going to get both. Meanwhile, I use bandaid methods. The reactors are the way to go.........

 

No matter how you decide to add the sand, it will get a little cloudy. Of course, there are better ways than others. The trick is to get the sand at the bottom without stirring the sediment. I did it once by filling a cup with the new sand and leaving about 1" from the top. Slowly dropping the cup in the tank and let it fill with tank water. Once the cup is fully submerged, take the cup to your desired spot and dump it slowly. This takes forever, depending the amount of sand that you need to replace, but it limits the cloudiness.

As far as your Po4 reactor, don't you have a refug?


luna

 

I have no fuge or sump. Thats why after a year and a half my mandarin got skinny and died. Can I run phosphate and carbon in one inexpensive reactor?

 

i think the problem is always that the little ugly algae I have is giving me false 0 readings. I have a new API test and I have 0 readings. I have always had 0 readings