What kind of live sand to buy?

[kwiker]

I am starting a 29 reef tank. I am planning to keep lps and acouple of fish. I have been reading online about different kinds of live sand and I don't know what to get. And if anyone knows a good website to get it from that would be appreciated. Thanks

[artful-dodger]

If you can find another reef keeper in your neck of the woods, work out a trade of a cup of his/her established sandbed for a cup of new. That will get you the life that you need for no cost. Your LFS may also sell you a cup of sand for only a little money if they expect to get your business when the tank is up and running.

If you want to buy sand, check out GARF.org. I bought some from them when I set up my reef, but I don't know that I'd do it again.

I personally wouldn't spend the money to buy the packed "live" sand that supposedly has an active bacteria culture. The bacteria will establish themselves without any help...it really is the other, larger life forms that you want to introduce into your sandbed.

[kwiker]

What do you do about the other sand?

[bertoni]

BillsReef.org also gets good reviews.

[artful-dodger]

Kwiker, I'm not sure about your follow-up question. All of the sand will eventually be infested with whatever life you introduce to the tank either with a small amount of sand or with the live rock. The worms, etc. will reproduce and (when the tank is mature) populate the sandbed to the limits of space and nourishment.

[kwiker]

O.K. you will have to excuse me if I am slow to catch on but I have never done this before. I don't know any reefers around here to get sand from. So I need a bag of live sand and a bag of regular reef sand? Is this what you suggest? The local dealer has Caribsea brand live sand. The regular reef sand is more expensive than this, so should I go ahead and get theCarib Sea?

[bertoni]

The CaribSea live is cheaper than the regular sand? Well, I guess I'd use it, then, if it was a fine-grained sand. It's not going to do anything in the way of making the sand "live", though. How deep a sandbed are you planning to have?

[kwiker]

I am going to have lps and a couple of fish. I was old that 2 inches was agood depth. What do you think?

[bertoni]

I would cut the depth to an inch. Then I'd just use the least expensive fine sand that looked nice to me. I'm not sure I'd bother with good-quality live sand for such a setup. It might help some, but it's expensive.

[artful-dodger]

Make sure about the pricing...is it the same size bag? I agree with staying at about an inch max. I think a deep sand bed only makes sense on a much larger tank. The shallower the easier to maintain.

I really wouldn't waste money on the packaged live sand unless it really is cheaper (it isn't anywhere I've looked...) There's a calculator on the RC homepage to calculate the amount you need.

Do ask your LFS if they'll sell you a cup of sand from one of their established tanks. It will do more for you than the packaged stuff.

You really might want to pick up one or more of the good books that cover the whole process of establishing a new reef tank. The main thing you need to do is be patient for several weeks before buying any fish (and a good book will help pass the time). Here's my personal take on some of the books (http://www.artful-dodger.com/fish/books.html) to consider...some are much more in-depth than you probably want to start with. The investment of $30 or $40 up front will be a very small part of your total expense; saving one animal from unnecessary death will save that much in money and is just responsible behavior.

[one24fan]

oceanpro.com has nice looking live sand for only a dollar a pound