Tank leak and not sure if I should save live sand or dump it?

pelfiredc · 08/13/2020, 03:21 PM

Hey guys anyone have thoughts on keeping or putting in new sand after needing to repair tank leak. I had leak in bottom seal last night which made me empty tank of everything coral fish live rock etc. as well as sand , which is currently in a tote with a heater and a circulation pump. Not sure whether I should get rid of it and put new sand in or try to keep it worried about the sand been dying off and completely crashing the tank later. Thoughts anyone with any past history of doing either?

pelfiredc · 08/13/2020, 03:23 PM

Also GE silicone 1 OK for a re-seal on entire tank or should I use something else

Sk8r · 08/13/2020, 04:10 PM

I don't know the glues for tanks but the key to your other question is how old is the tank? If above five years in this setup, it would be a good idea to trade for new sand. I'd go for the live sand, not my usual choice, plus several cups of the old provided it doesn't smell like rotten eggs. (hydrogen sulfide) THe reason I'm thinking live sand is the dry sand takes time and a ferocious lot of water to wash, 2 cups at a time, while the other comes in conditioned and wet and though I've never used it i read (look-up) that you don't have to wash it. With all else you have to do, that could be a plus. It would also help speed any mini-cycle and get it all assembled faster.

cody6766 · 08/13/2020, 04:12 PM

No idea on the tank, but I'd keep a couple of scoops of sand in your holding container to seed new sand. You won't have any cycle issues if you start fresh with or without the cup, but I like to always seed new sand with old. It adds microbes and critters that you might not have had. Whether it actually helps or not is too hard to prove, but I know it doesn't hurt. Biodiversity is a good thing and difficult to maintain in a closed system.

pelfiredc · 08/13/2020, 04:23 PM

Thanks guys I’ll take sand out and put it in the other tanks that are holding the rocks and corals as well as live stock....... yeah the tank is 8 yrs so I have lots of critters in sand as well as in sump refug..... the live sand in a bag is what I used with some others when I UG to the 90..... ty again !!

joseserrano · 08/13/2020, 06:08 PM

Throw it away

cody6766 · 08/13/2020, 10:21 PM

Don't use all of your sand. It's full of a bunch of crap (literally) you don't want. Keep SOME of your sand and the critters will reproduce and spread. Consider it an inoculation.

wsboyette · 08/13/2020, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pelfiredc

Also GE silicone 1 OK for a re-seal on entire tank or should I use something else

Any clear pure silicone sealant will be best for re-sealing your tank. That is what the tanks are originally assembled with.

pelfiredc · 08/14/2020, 10:19 AM

Ty guys ...was reading post that said regular plays and from ie Home Depot with the set aside few cups old as well as live rocks great...........so play sands fine ?! don’t need to get 8 bags of Carib sea live sand....... I know it’s just got bacteria

Sk8r · 08/14/2020, 10:37 AM

If you are keeping corals, aragonite sand (calcium) is better than play sand (silicon).

pelfiredc · 08/14/2020, 10:43 AM

Ty, think I can do dry rather than wet ....probably paying for water vs getting dry aragonite per pound.. ?

Timfish · 08/14/2020, 10:49 AM

What SK8R said. You can rinse most of the gunk out of old sand and not kill the bacteria by fumping a gallon or so into a bucket of aquarium water. This is messy and you'll need to do it several times with a clean saltwater each time so it does use up a lot of water and may not be practical to di.

For silicone the GE Silicone 1 mentioned above is good. You do not want anything with mold inhibitors in it. Keep in mind just because a tube says 100% silicone that only means pure silicone was used before other stuff was added. If you can find it Momentive RTV 128 is quite a bit stronger than the GE 1

Timfish · 08/14/2020, 10:50 AM

What SK8R said. You can rinse most of the gunk out of old sand and not kill the bacteria by fumping a gallon or so into a bucket of aquarium water. This is messy and you'll need to do it several times with a clean saltwater each time so it does use up a lot of water and may not be practical to di.

For silicone the GE Silicone 1 mentioned above is good. You do not want anything with mold inhibitors in it. Keep in mind just because a tube says 100% silicone that only means pure silicone was used before other stuff was added. If you can find it Momentive RTV 128 is quite a bit stronger than the GE 1

pelfiredc · 08/14/2020, 11:46 AM

Ty Tim I bought the Momentive yesterday as well as GE 1 .... the GE does say mold free for 10 years but is the one that’s silver that everyone says to use....... I’m going to probably just buy new sand and seed with 3 lbs I set aside....the rest is still in bin with circ and heater......

08/13/2020, 03:21 PM	#1
pelfiredc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Pelham NY Posts: 165	Tank leak and not sure if I should save live sand or dump it? Hey guys anyone have thoughts on keeping or putting in new sand after needing to repair tank leak. I had leak in bottom seal last night which made me empty tank of everything coral fish live rock etc. as well as sand , which is currently in a tote with a heater and a circulation pump. Not sure whether I should get rid of it and put new sand in or try to keep it worried about the sand been dying off and completely crashing the tank later. Thoughts anyone with any past history of doing either?

08/13/2020, 04:10 PM	#3
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	I don't know the glues for tanks but the key to your other question is how old is the tank? If above five years in this setup, it would be a good idea to trade for new sand. I'd go for the live sand, not my usual choice, plus several cups of the old provided it doesn't smell like rotten eggs. (hydrogen sulfide) THe reason I'm thinking live sand is the dry sand takes time and a ferocious lot of water to wash, 2 cups at a time, while the other comes in conditioned and wet and though I've never used it i read (look-up) that you don't have to wash it. With all else you have to do, that could be a plus. It would also help speed any mini-cycle and get it all assembled faster. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/13/2020, 04:12 PM	#4
cody6766 Super Best Friends! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 3,772	No idea on the tank, but I'd keep a couple of scoops of sand in your holding container to seed new sand. You won't have any cycle issues if you start fresh with or without the cup, but I like to always seed new sand with old. It adds microbes and critters that you might not have had. Whether it actually helps or not is too hard to prove, but I know it doesn't hurt. Biodiversity is a good thing and difficult to maintain in a closed system. __________________ "The moral is the chosen, not the forced; the understood, not the obeyed. The moral is the rational, and reason accepts no commandments." - John Galt Current Tank Info: Cadlights 60G Arisan II mixed reef with 2x MP40s and 24" ATI

08/13/2020, 10:21 PM	#7
cody6766 Super Best Friends! Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 3,772	Don't use all of your sand. It's full of a bunch of crap (literally) you don't want. Keep SOME of your sand and the critters will reproduce and spread. Consider it an inoculation. __________________ "The moral is the chosen, not the forced; the understood, not the obeyed. The moral is the rational, and reason accepts no commandments." - John Galt Current Tank Info: Cadlights 60G Arisan II mixed reef with 2x MP40s and 24" ATI

08/14/2020, 10:37 AM	#10
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	If you are keeping corals, aragonite sand (calcium) is better than play sand (silicon). __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

08/13/2020, 03:23 PM	#2
pelfiredc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Pelham NY Posts: 165	Also GE silicone 1 OK for a re-seal on entire tank or should I use something else

08/13/2020, 04:23 PM	#5
pelfiredc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Pelham NY Posts: 165	Thanks guys I’ll take sand out and put it in the other tanks that are holding the rocks and corals as well as live stock....... yeah the tank is 8 yrs so I have lots of critters in sand as well as in sump refug..... the live sand in a bag is what I used with some others when I UG to the 90..... ty again !!

08/13/2020, 06:08 PM	#6
joseserrano Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2016 Location: Tustin/Santa ana Posts: 83	Throw it away

08/14/2020, 10:19 AM	#9
pelfiredc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Pelham NY Posts: 165	Ty guys ...was reading post that said regular plays and from ie Home Depot with the set aside few cups old as well as live rocks great...........so play sands fine ?! don’t need to get 8 bags of Carib sea live sand....... I know it’s just got bacteria

08/14/2020, 10:43 AM	#11
pelfiredc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Pelham NY Posts: 165	Ty, think I can do dry rather than wet ....probably paying for water vs getting dry aragonite per pound.. ?

08/14/2020, 10:49 AM	#12
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	What SK8R said. You can rinse most of the gunk out of old sand and not kill the bacteria by fumping a gallon or so into a bucket of aquarium water. This is messy and you'll need to do it several times with a clean saltwater each time so it does use up a lot of water and may not be practical to di. For silicone the GE Silicone 1 mentioned above is good. You do not want anything with mold inhibitors in it. Keep in mind just because a tube says 100% silicone that only means pure silicone was used before other stuff was added. If you can find it Momentive RTV 128 is quite a bit stronger than the GE 1 __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

08/14/2020, 10:50 AM	#13
Timfish Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 1,985	What SK8R said. You can rinse most of the gunk out of old sand and not kill the bacteria by fumping a gallon or so into a bucket of aquarium water. This is messy and you'll need to do it several times with a clean saltwater each time so it does use up a lot of water and may not be practical to di. For silicone the GE Silicone 1 mentioned above is good. You do not want anything with mold inhibitors in it. Keep in mind just because a tube says 100% silicone that only means pure silicone was used before other stuff was added. If you can find it Momentive RTV 128 is quite a bit stronger than the GE 1 __________________ "Our crystal clear aquaria come nowhere close to the nutrient loads that swirl around natural reefs" Charles Delbeek

08/14/2020, 11:46 AM	#14
pelfiredc Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Pelham NY Posts: 165	Ty Tim I bought the Momentive yesterday as well as GE 1 .... the GE does say mold free for 10 years but is the one that’s silver that everyone says to use....... I’m going to probably just buy new sand and seed with 3 lbs I set aside....the rest is still in bin with circ and heater......