Live Sand Question

[jbateson]

my first post!

Hi Guys,

ive just been reading up for a few weeks now and about to make the leap into my first reef aquarium (lost of fresh water experience). I just have a question in regard to live sand (maybe a stupid question i dunno!)

If i live near the beach can i just go down and get some sand to use and would this be considered "live sand"?

[kkyyllee]

no, it could be contaminated

[Shagsbeard]

Not only contaminated, but unless you get sand from a 'reef' it's really unlikely to be full of the types of bacteria that we want in our tanks to complete the nitrogen cycle. It's much better just to use dry sand and let bacteria from live rock colonize it. A cup from a healthy, established, aquarium is a good move too. But the comercially available "live sand" is pretty much useless for us. I can only see using it in a fish only tank without any live rock in it.

[skippysmind]

I disagree the use of live sand will definitely benefit your tank and will definitely help it cycle faster.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10213597#post10213597 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Shagsbeard
But the comercially available "live sand" is pretty much useless for us. I can only see using it in a fish only tank without any live rock in it.

[demonsp]

You would have to get the sand off a reef , away from the shore and then you are good to go.

I used all LS and LR whene setting up my tank and never saw any spike in readings.

[kkyyllee]

yuo have to have cured liverock in oreder to have no spike

[skippysmind]

This is what you need.
http://www.naturesocean.com/live_sand.htm

[rbtwo4]

i wouldnt touch any of the sand at my beach god only knows what might be in it!

[Str8baller]

Dont forget.... Fish pee in that water! and poop on that sand!!

[drummereef]

jbateson,

[welcome]

[bertoni]

I don't think the bagged live sand is very useful, since it at most contains some bacteria, and that's not really enough to make it worthwhile. High-quality live sand is very expensive, and might not make much difference, depending on your plans for the tank.

[kuoka]

I wouldn't use local sand as it could contain parasites and other life forms that your animals aren't used to. My $.02 worth anyway.

[doc2981]

You don't have to have sand to cycle.I just set up a brand new sps tank with no sand(bare bottom)and a sump with no sand either and 1lb. per gallon of cured liverock and I didn't have a cycle at all.The liverock needs to come straight from another tank already setup.I purchased mine from another masst member moving.Its for sale on local boards all the time.I added fish in three days and snails in a week(had to wait for shipment) and loaded it with my sps from another tank a week after setting it up.It has been 7 weeks now and I have NO nitrates and a 7" sohal and several small fish.I added a gbta 3 weeks in to test before I added a clam.It thrived and I added a 8" squassmosa last week and it is attached and thriving as well.I have a 7 year old 150g with a deep sand bed (bought in the bags)and an even deeper bed in the fuge(miracle/mineral and livesand) and it never stays at 0 nitrates.I truly believe sand is a downfall in aquariums without the tide/beach to wash it clean.Sand is a nitrate sponge.