How coan you tell if sand is live?

[alucardsay]

I KNOW I KNOW, this is a really stupid newbie question but I just got LS from both this site and at my LFS and have been looking at it for the past hour and I haven't seen anything move. Is looking through a microscope the only way to be sure? Also on a sidenote, what the heck are nitrites?
Please help me o masters of fish care

 

[trainfever]

Check to see if it is breathing or if it has a pulse. Actually live sand means that it has bacteria in it. There may be a few small critters in it but mainly it is bacteria. Nitrite is what your ammonia is turned into by the bacteria, and then the nitrite is turned into nitrate, again by bacteria. The bacteria which is in the live, breathing, pulsing, sand.

 

[g-dude]

Give youe LS some time to adjust its self. 3-4 weeks before u notice any thing. Read both of Beths Posts above and it will fill u in on what you want to know and more.
G-Dude

 

[alucardsay]

:thinking: I thought so! I had some bristle worms before I put the LS in. they should be okay right. Also are nitrites dangerous?

 

[trainfever]

yes, they are dangerous. If you have too much of it. It how the tank works though. The fish eat and then go to the bathroom. Their waste creates ammonia, certain bacteria changes the ammonia into nitrites, then other bacteria changes the nitriets into nitrates. You remove the nitrates when you do water changes, or if you have a refuseum, the algae consumes the nitrates. Nitrates are not as deadly as nitrites and ammonia. Fish can tolerate certain levels of nitrates. Overfeeding can also cause too much ammonia.

 

[alucardsay]

Thanks Trainfever. You helped me out alot. For such a noble deed I shall have my servants praise your name as well as G-dude's

(praise Trainfever, praise G-dude, masters of fish care)

 

[alucardsay]

Id like to put more servants but they won't et me so this will have to suffice.