adding more LS

[kimoy]

I am going to add 40 lbs of LS to my system, it is the LS from a LFS, should I add them all at once or add 1 bag at a time a week apart?

 

[NewbReefer]

I would add about an inch a week to not disturb the current sand bed to much that you'll be covering.

 

[cgoodman381]

I would add about an inch a week to not disturb the current sand bed to much that you'll be covering.

I know theres probably more then one way to do it, but shouldnt you mix your current sand with the new sand? Im sure someone else will clarify.


Personally I would add one bag at a time, just because of the better safe then sorry policy. I wouldnt really know if it would hurt anything though

 

[ladypheesh]

I've never done it before so I'm sure someone more experienced will have an answer. But in the meantime, I do have a degree in microbiology, and the first thing that I thought was that you don't want to smother all of the aerobic bacteria that are in the top layers of your sand by just throwing it all down on top at once. (how many inches do you have now? how many inches do you want to make it?)
There is a delicate balance on sandbeds because if you get them deep enough you start to get anaerobes. There are SO many different opinions on this subject. So take this with a grain of salt, (or sand... haha.... crappy pun) but if I were you I would go kind of slow. That may also help you avoid starting a mini-cycle. Maybe start in one corner?

Hopefully someone more experienced can offer better advice!

 

[NewbReefer]

you want to add it slowly enough that the anarobic bacteria has time to adjust and doesn't all die off and cause a spike, assuming your sand bed is deep enough to house that anarobic bacteria

 

[Bifferwine]

Adding an inch or so on top of the existing sand won't smother the aerobic bacteria... Anaerobes aren't believed to live until you get to 4 inches depth or so. Even so, I'd still go slowly and do a bag at a time. I think that adding a little on top of the existing sand won't hurt as long as it's not too deep.

 

[cumminz]

I red before that u want to move a corner to bare botom, put sand there, and then cover it back up with old. do this until you have all ur sand added. just My opinion

 

[kimoy]

I would only be adding it to the front of the tank beacuse all the sand that I have in the front got blown towards the back. as of now I would say that I have anywhere from 1/2 inch to an inch of sand in the front depending on where you measure it.

 

[Piggy]

I had to add more sand after I got over my red algae. All I did was add one bag of LS. I watched my paremeters but everything stay the same.

 

[RyanG]

Im willing to bet that if you dont do anything but add the sand to the front it will just get blown away again, if you want to keep it there your probably going to have to modify your flow patern.

 

[Bifferwine]

I have the same problem, my sand eventually gets pushed to the back. I move it back to the front, and a day later it's all gone again :(.

 

[kimoy]

Im willing to bet that if you dont do anything but add the sand to the front it will just get blown away again, if you want to keep it there your probably going to have to modify your flow patern.

It got blown away when I first added my seaswirl and koralias. but now that I have it all positioned right it should keep the sand from being blown away. It's been 4 months and I have been watching the tank and flow on the tank. So I am not worried about the sand being blown again. Thanks for looking out though.

 

[cumminz]

Haha, I have the OPPOSITE problem. My diamond Goby goes to the back and takes it so nou u can c the PVC from my suspended reef. But i am adding about 10 lbs of dry substrate and about 5 lbs of Utah sand. I am gonna add it 1 cup a day for a few weeks to be safe