Adding Live Sand to Established Tank

suep · 06-12-2008, 12:42 AM

I've got a stock BioCube 29 that's been hyposalinity for a month. Long story, but anyway, the salinity is now back up to 1.021+, the Coral Beauty is doing well, and the rocks are covered with various colors of algae. The rock was originally live when I set the tank up a couple months ago. After a month at 1.009, I don't know how much of that is left. Although the CB is been happy and active (and two hermits made it thru the treatment!

)

I found a 5 lb bag of Carib Sea Live Sand at Pets Smart today. Can I add the sand directly to the tank, without causing a cycle and hurting the CB? I would like to seed the bacteria and critters again so that I can eventually add some more fish and corals.

Thanks!

**thesaent14** · 06-12-2008, 01:03 AM

whats going to happen is you will start a second cycle if you add it to the tank just add like a cup from some one ells tank establish for a long time and that will do for your system

suep · 06-12-2008, 01:21 AM

I could move some sand over from my 20 gallon, but that tank has flatworms at the moment. (I'm siphoning them and hoping they'll eventually die off.) And there's so much rock in there it would be hard to get an entire cup of sand...I could toss the new sand in a 2 1/2 gallon and figure out some way to get flow to it. Let it run for a while and then use a couple cups. Would that do any good?

The danger with that idea is that then I've got this cool pico tank up & running...

Would it do any good if I just used a couple of cups of sand from the new bag, as a jumpstart?

**thesaent14** · 06-12-2008, 01:40 AM

well is not bad idea but tha live sand is not as much beter then other tank where the water is runing i don't know how old that bag is but just add difrent sand not from the 20 with the flat worms but some one ells

**Amphibious** · 06-12-2008, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suep

I've got a stock BioCube 29 that's been hyposalinity for a month. Long story, but anyway, the salinity is now back up to 1.021+, the Coral Beauty is doing well, and the rocks are covered with various colors of algae. The rock was originally live when I set the tank up a couple months ago. After a month at 1.009, I don't know how much of that is left. Although the CB is been happy and active (and two hermits made it thru the treatment!

)

I found a 5 lb bag of Carib Sea Live Sand at Pets Smart today. Can I add the sand directly to the tank, without causing a cycle and hurting the CB? I would like to seed the bacteria and critters again so that I can eventually add some more fish and corals.

Thanks!

What thesaent14 says is partially true. I don't think a cycle will be produced by adding that sand. after all it's supposed to only contain bacteria. i do think that getting LS from another reefer's system is a better way to go. I also know where you live and it may be difficult for you to find that source of LS.

The bagged live sand you refer to, Careb Sea Live Sand, in my humble opinion, is a gimmick. Think about it, if you bag up sand alive with bacteria, very shortly the available oxygen needed to keep the bacteria alive is used up. Your live sand is no longer alive. How long does that take? I don't know. How long can we go without oxygen? Not long. If the bagged live sand sits on the shelf for a day, a week, whatever, is it still "live"? I have serious doubts about it being "alive". Since you bought it already, either take it back or go ahead and use it. But, don't expect a boost in bacteria population. The gimmick here, again in my humble opinion, is Careb Sea knows we can't "test" their sand to see if anything is "live" in the bag. When we add it to a properly set up aquarium, with LR, their sand becomes populated with bacteria from the LR just like dry sand does. So to me, buying bagged live sand from a LFS is a waste of money.

When you buy "freshly collected" LS on line, your getting a better product. But, even then you can't be sure. You can't possible know when it was collected and how long it sat in a container of some kind.

The best source of LS is from a system that is operating constantly. This is a product we, The Cultured Reef, will be offering in the future right out of our system, bagged the day it gets shipped. It will be "Real Fresh Live Sand". Unfortunately, that doesn't help you today.

Dick

**Phurst** · 06-12-2008, 01:46 PM

I wholeheartedly agree with Dick here. Not to mention the fact that you now have a bag full of dead, rotting bacteria. i dont know if it's enough to spike ammonia, but I don't think I'd trust it.

suep · 06-12-2008, 06:41 PM

OK guys, thanks! I appreciate all the responses!

I know what you mean about the 'live' sand but... I may take it back but it's not really enough $$ to worry about. I want to increase the biodiversity in the BioCube, esp bristleworms and misc critters. I can pick up some live rock from the LFS but I'm nervous about not quarantining it.

And my quarantine tank has three fish in it at the moment.

I could possibly get some sand from a friend but I don't remember if hers is the right color/size. And I know one of her tanks has had major aiptasia issues.

Dick, I really wish you had your setup running! I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to call you & order something or other!

suep · 06-13-2008, 03:06 AM

I stopped by the lfs today and picked up a pound of rubble from one of their tanks. They went rummaging around their invert tank and found me some bristleworms. (They've never been asked for bristleworms before.

) They found one and grabbed it with a pair of tweezers, then the owner started rummaging around the old snail shells and squeaked. He found a shell that was filled with worms (the pink-gray common ones) so they dropped that in the bag. $4 for the rock, no charge for the worms.

They also uncovered a nudibranch that Paul (the sw manager) says he's had for years. Surprised the owner no end, he couldn't figure out what that weird flat thingie was...

**Amphibious** · 06-13-2008, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suep

Dick, I really wish you had your setup running! I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to call you & order something or other!

You should call anyway. You never know, I may have the item or know where to send you for the best price. The toll free number - 888 745-0449 - is for you guys to reach me without cost.

Dick