aragonite vs. LS ???
- Thread starter steve24
- Start date
salt phish
Member
aragonite sand ..... and seed it with live sand.....
mudplayerx
Active Member
There is no physical difference between aragonite sand and live sand. Live sand IS aragonite sand, packaged with beneficial bacteria. It can speed up your cycle by a large degree if you buy live sand, or seed your regular aragonite with it.
If you have a nice lfs, ask if they will sell you a cupful of live sand for a few bucks. Mine gave me 1/2 pound for free. Just sprinkle it on top of your other sand like you would if you were seasoning food.
If you have a nice lfs, ask if they will sell you a cupful of live sand for a few bucks. Mine gave me 1/2 pound for free. Just sprinkle it on top of your other sand like you would if you were seasoning food.
mudplayerx
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
"Live sand IS aragonite sand, packaged with beneficial bacteria."
I suppose that's technicall correct but I think of live sand as having worms, pods, and microfauna in addition to bacteria.
I've never looked that closely when I bought a bag
I think the sand that I have bought in the past only guaranteed the bacteria content, not any other microfauna. I'm going to the lfs to trade some frags later this week, I'll have to check on that
"Live sand IS aragonite sand, packaged with beneficial bacteria."
I suppose that's technicall correct but I think of live sand as having worms, pods, and microfauna in addition to bacteria.
I've never looked that closely when I bought a bag
I think the sand that I have bought in the past only guaranteed the bacteria content, not any other microfauna. I'm going to the lfs to trade some frags later this week, I'll have to check on that
mikeyjer
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
I also think the bagged "live sand" is useless. Real live sand only lasts a few days outside of the ocean so it can't be bagged and stored on a shelf.
I agree to that. I'm gonna get a sump/fuge setup this coming week, just gonna seed the aragonite in the fuge from the sandbed in my main display tank. :happyfish
I also think the bagged "live sand" is useless. Real live sand only lasts a few days outside of the ocean so it can't be bagged and stored on a shelf.
I agree to that. I'm gonna get a sump/fuge setup this coming week, just gonna seed the aragonite in the fuge from the sandbed in my main display tank. :happyfish
mikeyjer
Active Member
Originally Posted by dragracer
I seeded Southdown with a couple cups of real LS from an established tank. Downside to Southdown though is you have a cloudy mess for a couple of days post setup. even with nothing running.
Recently I've been doing some research on Southdown sand, I read that there's some inpurity that's not being removed from that brand of sand. The guy had a lot of problems with it and would never use it again. That's when I decided to just buy the sand from my LFS so I won't have to put up with it. :happyfish
I seeded Southdown with a couple cups of real LS from an established tank. Downside to Southdown though is you have a cloudy mess for a couple of days post setup. even with nothing running.
Recently I've been doing some research on Southdown sand, I read that there's some inpurity that's not being removed from that brand of sand. The guy had a lot of problems with it and would never use it again. That's when I decided to just buy the sand from my LFS so I won't have to put up with it. :happyfish
mudplayerx
Active Member
I'd never buy anything but aragonite from the lfs if starting a tank intended for corals. Also, I have always cycled my tanks with uncured live rock so I could never tell if the bagged sand didn't have microfauna
mudplayerx
Active Member
Originally Posted by Bang Guy
Uncured live rock makes for the best hitchhikers, eh?
Makes for some interesting smells too.
BTW, I checked the live sand at the store and it only guaranteed to contain several million bacteria in the bag. It said nothing about worms, pods, etc.
Uncured live rock makes for the best hitchhikers, eh?
Makes for some interesting smells too.
BTW, I checked the live sand at the store and it only guaranteed to contain several million bacteria in the bag. It said nothing about worms, pods, etc.
mudplayerx
Active Member
Originally Posted by Yimmy
I started up a thread. I'm worried how I have cc, I think it's better for my situation, but can someone give me some input, not trying to steal the thread.
You have to siphon the crushed coral clean when you do water changes, or the detritus trapped within can cause nitrate spikes. This becomes a pain, plus it makes it difficult to have some of the the beneficial microfauna if you keep sucking them out of the tank.
Are you sure you have crushed coral? Aragonite is about 1-2mm in diameter. Crushed coral is usually much larger and looks like mashed up seashells.
I started up a thread. I'm worried how I have cc, I think it's better for my situation, but can someone give me some input, not trying to steal the thread.
You have to siphon the crushed coral clean when you do water changes, or the detritus trapped within can cause nitrate spikes. This becomes a pain, plus it makes it difficult to have some of the the beneficial microfauna if you keep sucking them out of the tank.
Are you sure you have crushed coral? Aragonite is about 1-2mm in diameter. Crushed coral is usually much larger and looks like mashed up seashells.