Live Sand- Dead or Alive?

[cpagego]

I bought a used tank that came with 100 lbs of live sand. The tank needed some work and I put the sand into a garbage can and there it sat for 3 weeks. Peeeuuuu. I have added about 1/2 of it, treating it like live rock curing but I still have some left. I am going to check ammonia levels later. I am skimming a lot of junk, but it is slowing down.

Is this sand going to be ok? What should I look for and what should I be monitoring. I am treating it like a dead animal that died in the tank or like live rock. Cirrculation and protein skimming.

Thanks appreciate any input

[HBtank]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9630099#post9630099 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cpagego
I bought a used tank that came with 100 lbs of live sand. The tank needed some work and I put the sand into a garbage can and there it sat for 3 weeks. Peeeuuuu. I have added about 1/2 of it, treating it like live rock curing but I still have some left. I am going to check ammonia levels later. I am skimming a lot of junk, but it is slowing down.

Is this sand going to be ok? What should I look for and what should I be monitoring. I am treating it like a dead animal that died in the tank or like live rock. Cirrculation and protein skimming.

Thanks appreciate any input

Peeeuuuu is never the description of something you want to put in your tank.

Anyways, what you were smelling is hydrogen sulfide from the sand basically rotting. But it will cycle like anything else and be fine over time. Just test the water parameters like you were planning.

I would not add anymore, and IMO, use new sand whenever setting up a tank. At most I would only use some live sand (fresh) to seed it.

[Teknagen]

How does the room smell :lol: It will probably take awhile to cycle the sand and remove all the smell.

[cpagego]

It actually isn't bad. If i stir up the sand it gets smelly for a few minutes but then it goes way pretty fast. It is not really smelling it anymore. I am hesitant to add more of the dead sand. i also dont want to throw it away. I just hate to go out and buy all new sand. All the hermits live through it, but I guess they are like cockaroaches. OK, I guess I have to buy new sand, but I am going to try and clean the sand I have too.

Thanks