bags of live sand

[debbie]

I was at our local store yesterday and they have live sand in bags with all the good bacteria andwater. Is this how live sand normally comes?
If you were to add this to a tank do you put the water and all right in?
No stores here sell sand out of their tanks, I would have to buy this stuff.
How much sand per gal is recommended for a 1" bed?

 

[puffer32]

Yes you can put this sand right in your tank. But to know how much for a 1 inch bed we need to know what tank size you have? I would recommend at least a 2 inch bed though. You can use regular sand and mix with the bagged LS, its cheaper!

 

[debbie]

Okay, the tank is a 25 gal. What type of regular sand can you put with this? Can you use the white aquarium sand and mix it with from the fish store?
Also when you do your water changes do any of you vacum the sand or just suck out the water?
I know when I had crushed coral I vacumed that all the time, but I heard that sand should not be vacumed or disturbed?

 

[f1shman]

just suck out the water, let your cleaning crew cover the sand

 

[debbie]

Thank you. Would you all mind going over to the Nano section and answer some questions about this tank I have there? 25 gal FOWLR is the title?
The last question I have had answers to before but would still like some input.
Oh, and I seen a Coral Beauty for the first time the other day, wow the name says it all they are truly some beautiful.... :joy:

 

[jayc]

Originally Posted by Debbie
Okay, the tank is a 25 gal. What type of regular sand can you put with this? Can you use the white aquarium sand and mix it with from the fish store?
Also when you do your water changes do any of you vacum the sand or just suck out the water?
I know when I had crushed coral I vacumed that all the time, but I heard that sand should not be vacumed or disturbed?

Just suck out the water. If you vaccum the sand you would be taking out little critters and stuff that you need to help your aquarium. Do like fishman said and let your cleaning crew take care of the sand.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by Debbie
I was at our local store yesterday and they have live sand in bags with all the good bacteria andwater. Is this how live sand normally comes?
No. The bagged sand is not live sand. It is sand that has bacteria only, basically it's just very expensive wet sand.
Live sand has worms, bugs and other sand infauna. The bagged live sand has no advantage over dry sand other than not clouding your water for as long, it's just a lot more expensive.

 

[scoobydoo]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
No. The bagged sand is not live sand. It is sand that has bacteria only, basically it's just very expensive wet sand.
Live sand has worms, bugs and other sand infauna. The bagged live sand has no advantage over dry sand other than not clouding your water for as long, it's just a lot more expensive.

Where do you get the live sand with all the worms, bugs and infauna?

 

[wax32]

From stores that keep established tanks for this purpose. OR you can get a friend to give you a couple scoops of his sand. The critters multiply and Bamm, you got live sand.

 

[mikegray]

yea where do u get real live sand from then. if this stuff isnt really live. and should i even go ahead and put like 100lbs of REAL live sand in my tank for just startingit.. wont it all die off anyway since i havnt cycled yet and would have it to cycle?

 

[wax32]

I'd cycle with plain old dead sand then add some live to seed your sand once it has cycled.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by scoobydoo
Where do you get the live sand with all the worms, bugs and infauna?
This is real live sand

 

[scoobydoo]

Originally Posted by wax32
From stores that keep established tanks for this purpose. OR you can get a friend to give you a couple scoops of his sand. The critters multiply and Bamm, you got live sand.
I don't think any of my LFS have a separate tank for this purpose. Don't have any friends locally that have tanks. Can you order online somewhere?

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by wax32
I'd cycle with plain old dead sand then add some live to seed your sand once it has cycled.
Exactly!

 

[scoobydoo]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
This is real live sand

Description says "may contain". I don't want to pay $39.99 for 10lbs of sand and end up with dead sand anyway. How do I know for sure?

 

[wax32]

Nothing is for sure, but ppl have had good luck with SWF.com sand, or so I have read.
All that said... I bought the "live sand" in the bag when I first set up my tank because it was what I could find that I liked the looks of locally. 6 months later my sand is FULL of all kinds of critters and it didn't take nearly that long for stuff to start showing up. I "seeded" mine with uncured fresh live rock and wild freshly collected zoanthid colonies. I have more worms and pods and other critters than I know what to do with! The "dead" sand then seed with some borrowed from someone is cheaper though if you are on a tight budget.

 

[scoobydoo]

Wax, I started my tank with 100lbs of LR, 50 lbs of Southdown and 60lbs of the bagged LS from the LFS in Oct. I never see any pods or worms so I really need to find someone who can guarantee me pods and worms.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by scoobydoo
Wax, I started my tank with 100lbs of LR, 50 lbs of Southdown and 60lbs of the bagged LS from the LFS in Oct. I never see any pods or worms so I really need to find someone who can guarantee me pods and worms.
Buy the box of sand. It's a good price. If it doesn't have pods in it then I'll send you a free box of sand from my lagoon.

 

[scoobydoo]

Deal. Thanks Bang.
I just went to order it. Does Live Sand NOT have a minimum order. It looks like it'll go through with just the 9.99 surcharge.

 

[wax32]

Yeah it just livestock that has the minimum order for free shipping thing.