DSB

[fishyclown]

I was just wonderin'...
I have a 70 gallon tank that I just had to move because we had new tile and carpet layed. I had CC and had wanted to change to a DSB, so obviously I waited until now to do it. I was also absent minded at the time and didn't save my water, so I'll be re-cycling... blah! Unfortunately, my husband is freaking out about the price of the sand it's going to take to reach the minimum of 4 inches to make it work. We have some brand new playsand that never got used in a flower bed... what would I have to do to it to use it in the tank? The tank is dry and empty now. My inhabitants are in a temporary 30 gal tank with no substrate.
So... My questions are these:
1. What to do to ordinary play sand to use in tank?
2. In Oklahoma, has anyone found the SD sand everyone is hyped about?
3. Will I be able to use my dried out biowheels when I refill and start to cycle the tank?
4. Should I add the l/s when I start to cycle or will that be harmful to the organisms in it? Or are they the major force of a cycle??
5. What kinds of things living, or not, can I have in the tank while it's cycling?
I'm sorry there's so many questions! I just have this chance to do it right and I want to make sure that I do... do it right I mean.
Thanks tons for any responses!
Shelly - Broken Arrow, OK

 

[fishyclown]

Oh yeah...
Another question arose as I read some other threads. Today when I was browsing a new lfs I asked the guy about dsb (knowing a little already) and he described putting cc in first! Is that right?? I didn't think that's they way I'd been told to do it. If so then I'd better go get all the cc I dumped in the field behind our house! All the bristle worms that were in it should be dead by now I'd guess. (ha ha ha) Just so you know, I'm not really going to do that.
I do still wonder why he's suggest putting the cc in first before all the sand. Just to take up space? OR Maybe he's just tryin' to sell me something. (GRIN!)
I'm lookin' around tomorrow for SD. Sound like a good thing. Thanks!
Shelly