Deep Cleaning Time!!!!!!!

[Foxydiva3]

Yep its spring and time for a deep clean! Well let me just say My crabbies are un Happy! My tank all winter has been super humid from the sand being wet and condensation from heating the tank. They loved it but it needed a cleaning. Any way let me tell you My 50 or so gallon tank full of sand was an under taking, I really wanted to get this done before Monster My Jumbo straw goes down for a molt because I Know he will be down for a long time. So All my crabbies are in the tub not happy they have all their caves and stuff just no sand and they no like that! Anyway the Sand was Super Dirty!!!!! I had to do this outside and strain it now its on a shower curtian drying and then back to the tank. Im Glad this is not an often thing! Im going to do it again in Sept or October before Winter But Gees Its Tough! So Any one else Deep cleaning A Large Tank!

[CrabbyJo]

Foxy, I'll be deep cleaning once I'm sure everyone is up from their molts. I am pretty sure I just had another medium E go down (he changed shells, huge indicator with an E, then he's disappeared) so it will be a few weeks, but it's also a bit cold outside still for me to do a deep cleaning. I'd like the temps to at least be in the 60's here!
I have a 55 gallon too, so it will be a bit of a chore, as I have aragonite sand and will be cleaning and re-using it. I'm really hoping that my new sand comes in and I can afford it before deep clean time!
Here in Alaska, they only order sand every couple months or so, since it's so expensive to ship, so they do it when they have a large enough order. They are supposed to get me 40lbs of Sugar Grain Carib Sea sand. Going to cost me $80! ouch. I really want 60 lbs, I want my substrate deeper. It's only about 3" deep with 40lbs. I may re-arrange with a divider to add in EE instead to part of the tank, like a piece of plexiglass, then I can make the sand section smaller and deeper.
Oh! I just had a vision of the piece of plexi being about an inch higher than the substrate, then cutting a piece of cholla wood down the side so it slides onto the plexi so they have a good way over, and less chance of mixing substrates!

[Lette44]

I'm getting ready to deep clean my tank and use sand too. I've been buying extra bags this winter. So when I'm ready to clean, I can dump the old sand in buckets and wash it at my leisure! Expensive. Yes. But hopefully now I won't have to buy in large quantities anymore. And when its time to clean again, my old sand will be ready to use. Sounds good on paper, let's hope it works!! Lette

[ladybug15057]

It does work having a 2 batch system. Being able to wash and dry, then bake the sand at ones leisure is soooo much better than that mad rush on deep clean day and waiting for the sand to cool as well. I use a Rubbermaid type container that has the locking lids to store the clean sand in. Once snapped shut it keeps pests out of it too. All I need to do on deep clean day is preheat a little sand that is going on the warm end of the tank. So much easier that way!

[Foxydiva3]

Well Im All Done! Took my two days Because I Had to dry the Sand Had A Nice Hot one Today! All Crabbys are in their nets and caves now very happy with a moss pit to boot! I Def Think The Second batch is a great Idea and will have one handy for nxt time. I Use Beach sand, We have a private beach and I had cleaned it and used it Last year, But I Never had time to go back to the beach so I Cleaned what was in the tank. It Gave me A huge work out! But my tank looks great! And I Even put in a rock pool!

[Lette44]

Is it okay to dry the sand outside? I was going to wash the sand the way Marie does, but I need to remember how. I know you take it outside and is it then you put it in a pillowcase and spray it with the hose? The idea of drying it outside just reminds me of yucky bugs, ants, gnats, etc. I'm not a fan of insects! Can someone help me out here? Lette

[emmac350]

On my last deep clean, I dried it by baking it. However, it was a time-intensive process and heated up the apartment a TON. The other downside is that the sand takes a while to cool down, so you'd need to have several pans to switch between so you can do multiple loads and not break your tank by putting in too hot of sand (to free up the baking pan for more sand).

[Foxydiva3]

Well I Guess Every one is differnt I Had A ton of sand to dry because I Have a really large tank what I Did Was Empty it into two large tubs outside, Then I Would Put the sand ina bucket and wash it until the water ran clear. then I Spread it out on a Shower curtian in my drive way. My Neighbors must have thought me nuts But in the End it works great!

[ladybug15057]

I too wash and dry the sand. I then bake it to sterilize it because washing and drying alone does not sterilize it. Plus if one does dry it outside one does need to worry about pests getting into the sand too and placing them within their tank. I use a large oval roaster to bake my sand. I fill it about 1/2 way and stir it every 10 minutes. I bake it for 30 minutes at about 275-300*F.

[Lette44]

Ok so I can wash it outside and then use my large roasting pan (another pan I'm giving up for my hermies! BTW I talked my husband into new pots & pans because we''ve had them forever and they could be leeching "stuff" into our food. Now my hermies will have all the old stainless steel pans for themselves. I know I'm bad ) since I will be baking it Marie, will I need to use distilled and/or ocean water for the final rinse or will baking it be enough to get out the water chemicals? Thanks Lette