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View Full Version : Live sand help please


Thras
12/14/2011, 05:01 PM
Ok so I got some live sand for my bio cube I just got and put in the sand last night and everything got cloudy which I knew would happen usually it settles and I level my sand the next day well I get home and open my lid there's foam on the top I just scooped it out not sure what caused it but it stinks. So I started leveling the sand bad move the tank is a dirt ball again any tips on leveling sand like this?

Thras
12/14/2011, 05:11 PM
I was thinking I could let it settle again and gravel vac the bottom lightly to get the really light stuff out what do you guys think

Zappo
12/14/2011, 05:42 PM
Sounds like a pretty dirty batch of sand. Just even it out as well as you can and let the dust settle. It'll become less messy as the tank ages and fine particles get filtered out or glued together by bacteria. If it's not too fine to vacuum, you could try that. If it's really bad you could even siphon most of it out, pour off the water, and put it back. Of course that'll require replacing a lot of saltwater too. Personally, I'd just let it settle and keep an eye on water parameters.

On a side note, you said it stinks... What's it smell like? Rotten eggs or seaweed?

Thras
12/14/2011, 05:47 PM
A bit of both

Zappo
12/14/2011, 06:04 PM
Smelling like the sea is a good thing, but rotten eggs indicates dead stuff. Sounds like the live sand may not be very live. Oh well, it'll still help get the cycle going by giving up food for live bacteria. And as those bacteria multiply, they'll start to glue your sand together. It gets a lot less dusty after running for a while.

Thras
12/14/2011, 08:06 PM
Ok thanks I'm sick so it could be just me ill get the girl friend to smell lol

aleonn
12/14/2011, 08:20 PM
There could be a lot of dead matter in the old sand, and an accumulation of hydrogen sulfide if you're smelling the rotten eggs. If you haven't already, I'd do some water changes and run the skimmer, carbon, and filter sock.