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Unread 06/13/2008, 11:29 PM   #1
ZCCRX
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Adding Live Beach Sand?

I was at the beach the other day and the sand was so pretty that I took a two gal bucket of it home. The sand was from in the water, right where the waves break, and it's full of very pretty color and textures. I topped the bucket off with some sea water, put a lid on it, and brought it home. It has been sitting on my work bench and there are little sand crabs swimming around at the top and burying themselves at the surface of the sand even after sitting there for three days.

I guess that it is not safe to add this sand to an established tank, right? How can I make it safe to add? I was thinking about soaking the sand for a few weeks in distilled water with some aeration, to sort of cure it and kill the life in it. Or is it ok to add it while it's "live". BTW the sand was collected off of Longboat Key in FL and the water was pristine. The sand and water looked so nice that you could have probably set up a tank instantly with what was there.


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Unread 06/14/2008, 12:38 AM   #2
Playa-1
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There's always a chance that it could be poluted. So I guess it's up to you. To give you an idea I took a metal detector down to a beautiful beach in So Cal and all I could find was rusty nails all up and down a beautiful white sandy beach.
I've seen the Florida water it is really pretty. I could see the dirt under my toe-nails in chest deep water


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Unread 06/14/2008, 03:18 AM   #3
ZCCRX
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No, there aren't any nails in this stuff. I collected it out of the water in small handfulls until I filled up the bucket. My concern is, if I add it as "live" sand to my already established tank sand, will I send the tank into a cycle somehow?


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Unread 06/14/2008, 03:38 AM   #4
Playa-1
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I doubt it. But i depends on how long it's been out of the water and how mature the tank is that it's going into.


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Unread 06/14/2008, 05:57 AM   #5
steve9
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YOUR SAND IS GREAT TO ADD ...JUST GET IT FRESH....I USE SAND FROM HOME DEPO...WORKS GREAT...


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Unread 06/14/2008, 09:00 AM   #6
sdietz2469
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i always wondered the same thing... i always thought that the beaches were dirty, as the waves are like natures protien skimmer, the foam the waves produce and push to shore are polluted with all the nastyness, therefore the sand would be poluted.......i thought to get good live sand, you would have to go dive for it at about a 15 ft depth, with the tide all the way out, to ensure it was clean sand.... just my thoughts...
shane


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Unread 06/14/2008, 09:22 AM   #7
wiscsaltwater
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its definately risky but you might be ok.


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Unread 06/14/2008, 12:36 PM   #8
ZCCRX
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Quote:
Originally posted by sdietz2469
i always wondered the same thing... i always thought that the beaches were dirty, as the waves are like natures protien skimmer, the foam the waves produce and push to shore are polluted with all the nastyness, therefore the sand would be poluted.......i thought to get good live sand, you would have to go dive for it at about a 15 ft depth, with the tide all the way out, to ensure it was clean sand.... just my thoughts...
shane
Yea, I see what your saying, however these beaches on the keys aren't like some of the beaches you might be thinking of when you consider the "skimming" element. I have been to beaches before where there is definatly some "skimming" going on, as evidenced by actual foam in the surf and on the shore.

This beach was, like I said, pristine. The water and sand was absolutely beautiful, which was what compelled me to bring some of it home. I have little concern of pollution, my concern is combining another bacterial culture with my already existing one.


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Unread 06/14/2008, 12:40 PM   #9
Aquabucket
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I think you will be fine if you just add a cup or 2 at a time. Keep the rest of it aerated in the meantime.


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