Cleaning Live Sand?

SabrinaC

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Hello!
I’m relatively new to reefing. I finally invested in a quarantine tank.

First mistake was buying a 20 gallon tall hexagon shaped tank. Second mistake was adding a small layer of live sand.

I had purchased a yellowline goby, sharknose goby, blue neon goby, and Black & White Misbar Clownfish from an online retailer that I had placed in my quarantine tank after acclimation. My 3 gobies would just sit on top of the decoration I had purchased from Petsmart that is made to look like rock. Not sure exactly what it’s made up of. After about a week or so, my yellowline goby mysteriously disappeared. He looked perfectly fine up until that point. He would hide in that fake rock work at night, so I wasn’t sure if it died or was hiding. I had checked my water quality, ammonia and nitrite was 0, nitrates were about 5, and the other parameters were pretty close to what I had in my display tank. Shortly after that, my neon blue goby got either a fungal or bacterial infection and died this past Friday 9/2/22. After that, my ammonia levels were at the highest they’ve ever read. I had started treating my tank with Microbe-Lift Artemiss, hoping my clownfish and remaining goby would be ok. Not sure if that raises ammonia levels? Anyway, I panicked and quickly put the clownfish and goby in my display tank since they have shown no signs of disease and didn’t want the ammonia to kill them. So far they seem happy and healthy. So now I am going to completely empty that tank’s water, remove the sand, and clean the hang on filter. Should I just throw away the sand, or is there away to clean it by rinsing it with r/o water or my display tank’s water in a bucket and putting it in my display tank?

Another predicament is that I am supposed to receive a few coral frags I believe Wednesday. I ordered them before my ammonia spike, so I need to hurry and get this tank cleaned and set back up. I’m planning on filling it with display tank water and freshly made salt water. After dipping the corals I was planning on putting them in the QT. It’s not advisable to put them in my refugium to quarantine, right? What a mess!
 

Rmckoy

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First things first . Welcome to r2r
Pictures are worth 1000 words .
Next . To receive the coral frags and keep them alive. .
Ideally you want to dip them . Quarantine is advised if you’re able to do so .
 
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SabrinaC

SabrinaC

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First things first . Welcome to r2r
Pictures are worth 1000 words .
Next . To receive the coral frags and keep them alive. .
Ideally you want to dip them . Quarantine is advised if you’re able to do so .
This was before the deaths when they all seemed happy…

3FCFF325-9CA3-4D25-821D-59E783569922.jpeg


 

Rmckoy

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This was before the deaths when they all seemed happy…

3FCFF325-9CA3-4D25-821D-59E783569922.jpeg


The videos won’t play .
the pictures look like it’s still a very young system .
I would personally dip the new frags in a coral dip and follow the instructions ( some dips are 15 mins

inspect them well for unwanted hitchhikers and place in the display tank
 
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SabrinaC

SabrinaC

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The videos won’t play .
the pictures look like it’s still a very young system .
I would personally dip the new frags in a coral dip and follow the instructions ( some dips are 15 mins

inspect them well for unwanted hitchhikers and place in the display tank
Yes, that’s my quarantine tank. Ok, thank you. I will do that.
 
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SabrinaC

SabrinaC

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One has high ammonia ?
My QT tank does. That’s why I wanted to take it all out and clean it. My display tank I’ve had for several years, but only fish and live rock with an occasional hermit or snail. This is the first time I’m starting corals, wanting an anemone, etc. I’ve never owned a QT unfortunately. I still consider myself an absolute beginner, because there’s so much more I need to learn and don’t know. Thankful I found this forum. So much great information!
 

Rmckoy

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My QT tank does. That’s why I wanted to take it all out and clean it. My display tank I’ve had for several years, but only fish and live rock with an occasional hermit or snail. This is the first time I’m starting corals, wanting an anemone, etc. I’ve never owned a QT unfortunately. I still consider myself an absolute beginner, because there’s so much more I need to learn and don’t know. Thankful I found this forum. So much great information!
Does the display tank have sufficient lighting to support the corals being added ?
If so I believe you will be ok while letting the qt straighten out
 

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