Re-using sand

I've broken down my 180 (which was a FW cichlid tank) and am in the process of setting it back up as a reef. I was using caribsea aragamax select (one size up from oolitic) as my substrate in the FW tank and was wondering if I could re-use it. I've taken it out and rinsed it well (it stunk!) and have it laying out on a tarp in the back yard. I'll rake it once or twice a day to try and help with evaporation. When the sand is completely dry I'll toss it back in and add more sand as necessary to get the depth I want.

Can this sand be safely re-used or should I just toss the old sand and by new?


Thanks!

 

You have to think of sand as a large sponge. If you have ever used copper in the tank I would say absolutely not. While it is possible to rinse the old sand and reuse it; I wouldn't. To me it is just not worth the risk.

 

if it was an existing tank,i would vote no,but setting it up all over again,i would think rinsing it well would be good and any left over dead organics in it would contribute to cycling the tank

 

great point Vinny,i didn't think of copper
+1

 

LLike the above folks said...its fine to reuse aslong as no copper was used, there are other medications I believe that could be soaked up.but you know better then us what was used in the tank

 

I would never again reuse sand. When I moved my 75g years ago, I rinsed and rinsed the sand only to have it kill most of my coral. I don't think it's possible to clean out all the ammonia and nitrite out of the sand

Just my thoughts
J

 

If you have the time and means you could try what I did. I rinsed very well and then boiled all my sand in a large pot in several batches and then baked it on a foil lined cookie sheet in an oven at 400 degress for 1/2 hour to completely dry it. Never had any issues with it. I vacuum my substrate when I do water changes and save the sand until I get enough then I repeat the process. Depending on how much sand you have this could be an all day project. I wouldnt reuse it though if copper had been used as stated by others. Oh yeah, one more thing, it does smell like low tide at the ocean a bit when you are boiling the sand, but the smell goes away after you are done.

 

The sand was in a freshwater cichlid tank that was never medicated. It was way overstocked and even though I had massive amounts of filtration and did weekly 50% water changes on it I still battled nitrate/phosphate. I think I am just going to buy fresh and start it off right with no worries.

Thanks guys!

 

Just a thought with the battle with phosphates/nitrates with 50% weekly water changes. My guess is your battle was really with your water source. Being it was a fresh water tank, I am thinking that you were using tap water. With a tank that size, I would recommend buying a RO/DI system for your house. Just my thoughts though.

Why not think about buying some cheap play sand. What I did when I set up my 40 gallon was put play sand on the bottom, then put white sand on top of that. I know that there are several arguments out there about the use of play sand, but honestly I didn't have a single issue from it. Just make sure you rinse it good is all and buy the right kind.

 

i would go for new. why make problems that can be avoided