How Can I Make Dry Substrate Live???

[mrinelfrlz]

ok i just got in my substrate(not live) 15lbs x 2 bags and was wondering if there was a way to make it live before i placed it in my DT?
i know i could put it in like this but it will have to be slow as to not kill off my microphona life
can i some how seed it with some of my sand in the DT or something like that
just how do i go about it

thanks everyone for any help

 

[me-n-my-fish]

In the past, i have gotten a big plastic tote, rinsed new sand, added some water. 1/2 new, 1/2 from a water change, and some sand from my dsb/fuge. power head, heater, few weeks (4-5) and it worked for me.
hth

 

[kynekke]

Another option.. I put in 50 lbs of playground sand which had been THOROUGHLY washed. I then put in 10 lbs of live sand and now all of it is crawling.

 

[maelv]

Time and patience is the key. As I am sure you know. If there is a LFS that you go to on a normal basis, ask them for a baggie of sand. I have had a couple of LFS give me a bag of sand before, and always see fellow local reefkeepers offer sand and some macro algae.....
Mrn, I used the exact same sand you did (150 lbs of it) and seeded it with other sand..and eventually it became live sand.

 

[mrinelfrlz]

EVERYONE THANKS
i would go to my LFS but me and him got into it on the phone because when i was having lots of probs with algae he told me not to listen to any body online and to be quiet and let him finish what he says before i say anything so i proceded to go tell him to take a flying well lets just say i dont go there any more

but since theres not anyone really that does this around here i will seed it with my live sand
thanks again