+brian.srock Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I've been vacuuming my display tank sand bed for the last month. This weekend I decided to tackle the sump and noticed a lot of clumps which look like big rocks but I know it's sand. I know subsea runs a DSB but it's fluidized. Has anyone else encountered this? Here's a vid I did so you can see what I'm talking about. https://www.youtube.com/edit?video_referrer=watch&video_id=dWooBXB8POQ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Sometimes the sand can basically cement itself together. There are many theories to this as to why but I figure you probably don't have enough critters turning it over in the sump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Are you running kalk? Overdoses of kalk can run your up to the point that you start to get precipitation which can turn your sandbed into rock. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 I did run kalk and I've also noticed that the black sand is metallic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I know member "esacjack" had this same thing happen with his black sand. What he did to fix the problem is break his sand up over 2 weeks. Do a 20% water change to help restore the ionic balance. Run his ATO with RODI water only while monitoring his alk. When he saw a little drop dose just a pinch of baking soda to bring it back up. Then if it continues to drop slowly start with the kalk. Start at half the dose you were running and increase slowly until your alk stops dropping. Then dose slowly with bio calcium to get your levels set where you want them. And then monitor daily for a week to ensure your alk is stable. I'm sure the same thing can happen and the same fix applies to running a CaRx because a CaRx can get your ionic balance off too. There is an article somewhere that talks about the correct ratios to alk,ca,mg,sg,ph. If I remember correctly it's 1-3 on ca-mg. So 500ca should be 1500mg. When those get too far out of wack the calcium starts to percipitate out dropping your alk while it's doing it trying to restore the ionic balance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I got caffeinated and found the articles on ionic balance. They are good reads. http://www.reefs.org/library/article/j_chen.html http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2002/11/chemistry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks I'll check them out later today. I plan a water change today but I broke up half the sump sand and cleaned and recycled the water. I have been trying experiments out with vinegar and phosfree but they not really scientific. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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