IR wrote
"i agree with Dick on all points above, and there is nothing that i can add that he did not already say."
yeah there is, get over the "live" coined phases people. favoured conditions dictate numbers & bacterial replication success.To many factors have already happen to the "live gear" for you to be worried about the journey of the now. At some point you have to take that calculated risk & just buy the damn thing & be done with it. No bad intent here, but you guys no squat, me included to whats being sold to you! . Get your handful of sand, take it to an egg head white coat & have it spot lighted, then you can say for sure, untill then, you have concerns, act on those concern,
QT the stuff for the next 10 years as far as im concerned.

Just understand, most of the current & pressing issues is toxin buildups(parasites aside for a moment) so dilution is always the best solution. Dont be a tight @ss, add abit more H2Go!