Can you start a tank with locally collected rock / sand?

[tylerh]

Hi All,
I was wondering about this...
If you live along the water, can you go to a beach and collect sand / rocks to start your reef (if you sterilize them well?)
Maybe then once in the started tank, add SOME live rock and SOME live sand, to help populate the collected rock and sand?
Just wondering if anyone has done this.. Seems like it would help with the economics of the tank...

 

[novahobbies]

The General consensus is no. People point out that the beach is often a very dirty place, possibly high in contaminants as the surf sand acts as one huge biological filter for pollutants coming ashore. Also you must check your local state laws and regulations, as many places do not allow harvesting of beach material. Live Rock, for instance, is a big no-no here in Florida.
That said, I have to say I've started a tank with local sand. A friend was starting up her 55g and we decided to experiment with the local central florida sand. Yes, I made it clear to her that it was an experiment, it might not work, yadda yadda. We tried anyway, by going out a little ways and harvesting sand from a few feet deep. It was still in the breaker zone, but I don't think it ever was exposed to air. She's had the tank for about 6 months now, and the fish and couple corals she keeps have not been affected by any mystery chemicals. She *DID* have a couple parasitic isopods in the sand that attached themselves to a clownfish, but she was able to remove them and the fish is still alive. I think she had two in the entire amt of sand we harvested. The sand itself was a light brown color, not the prettiest, but it has the benefit of being (a) cheap and (b) easy to maintain. Again, check yer local laws before doing this, and be aware that MY experience may be the exception, not the rule.

 

[gregzbobo]

I'm wanting to say that collecting rock from US waters is illegal, but that may just be a state by state thing, not certain. Proceed at your own risk.

 

[vince-1961]

Yes, it is illegal to possess live rock within the Exclusive Economic Zone, which is from 3 to 200 miles from the shoreline of the U.S.A.. It is punishable by a civil fine of up to $250,000. It's buried in the Code of Federal Regulations. I couldn't find it again if I tried (and I'm a lawyer!)