Phosphate

[Almondsaz]

My tank is about 4 weeks old from being set up. The contents were in a 45 gallon tank prior and were moved over to my new 70 - same sump. I bought all new aragonite sand (60#) for the base. About a couple of weeks ago I got a gold blenny and since then he has moved a lot of sand up front, about 3 - 4 inches worth and becuase of all his sifting has released quite a bit of particulate matter in the water.

My readings were at .20 for phosphate last week and I put in phosban in the sump and this week it as .22. This has been tested both times with a colormeter for better accuracy. My LFS says not to worry that it just the blenny doing his thing and all my other readings are normal except for my nitrate which has risen to 10 (new LR in the equation).

I have invested in a phosphate reactor and am in the process of installing it now, but am puzzled. I only by RO from the LFS (which is a saltwater store) and it isn't their source of water because I used it in the old tank without issue.

Can this elevation be the fact that the blenny kicking up the loose particles causeing this? The aragonit is only 4 weeks old, like I said.

Thanks for looking and helping.

 

[Jim Hart]

yes ......

 

[Jim Hart]

should have used your old live sand.

 

[Almondsaz]

should have used your old live sand.

Jim: I now realize I can, but someone told me on another site not to becuase I would start the cycle all over. And as a newbie...I listened.

You can mix Charcoal in one layer and phosban on another in the reactors can't you?

 

[Jim Hart]

new sand in my past experience has done the same. you might have been able to avoid the cycle completly, just my opinion.
I did on my upgrade.

 

[prbhasson]

Yes the blenny stirring the sand could be the cause. I would never reuse the old sand in a new tank unless you are going the rinse it. In the end it will cause a tank crash and more problems in the long run. You could use a little of the old live sand to jump start the new but that would be about it. I learned the hard way and reused sand 1 time and about 7 months in the tank crashed and had to sart over...

 

[Almondsaz]

Tank pictures posted in the New to Reef Discussion.

 

[Jim Hart]

Of course rinse it but do it with the old tank water to insure there will be no die off.
Using the old sand is just what worked for me.
I believe stiring the sand is a good thing.
I have a crew 24 7 that stir and sift the live sand, thourghly. I'd say once a week every grain is touched and moved, insuring no dead spots, watchman goby, wrasse, nasarius snails and pair of pistol shrimp are always at work.

 

[jezzeaepi]

Jim-
Perhaps if it is a super shallow sand bed that is ok, but there are numerous toxic substances that will build up in your sand over time, especially a DSB. There is a serious risk of releasing them if you stir a bed that hasnt been stirred for a while. Defntly would not recomend it to others.
As for reusing old sand, this has been discussed greatly, and most consider it a bad thing. A large amount of things living in your bed will be killed in the move and subsequently rott in your sand bed. Its like when you add sand to an existing tank. You dont want to do a whole bunch at once because you risk suffocating the creatures in your live sand. This same thing will happen if you reuse.

 

[Scooterman]

First off your new sand wouldn't even be close to even getting lots of life in it, it would take a very long while to really be established. Second, you added new LR to the equation, that there is going to cycle in your tank. Third using old sand can be tricky depends how old it is really, year yea dump it, few months yea you may get away with using it, all depends on the age of it & the amount of food you feed & have fish dumping into it because the bacteria grow & die off according to your load or supply of necessary food for it the thrive & reproduce at higher levels. I wouldn't reseed old sand at all in a new tank IMO, you will let it establish from the start & get a longer usage of it because over time no matter what you do it has a useful life & then it will start causing problems & can even crash your tank. Lots of this will depend on how much stock you have & food put in, fish pooping. Large fish poop way more than smaller fish & your husbandry, all take into count in determining how long your SB will last. Remember every single critter you add is a bio-load & will consume & add waste.

 

[jezzeaepi]

http://www.ronshimek.com/Deep Sand Beds.htm

Good sand bed info.

 

[Almondsaz]

Thanks for the article, it is really informative. I do wonder about the conclusion regarding some gobies that are sandsifting....should be avoided since they are sifting the fauna you want in the sand.

 

[Jim Hart]

true, mine is ssb not dsb.