Is It Live sand Or Memorex sand?
- Thread starter bacffin
- Start date
bacffin
Member
Hmmmmm...Almost ran off and bought the bagged stuff per the advise of my lfs. I'm learning to ask here first before jumping in again. 
So, is it benificial to get the harvested stuff for it's microfauna/macrofauna advantages? I suppose it depends of what type of tank I am going to have, right? Can you tell me what the benifits of this "funa" is. I plan on starting with fish then inverts, then moving into soft corals as the tank matures.
Thanks Again,
Bruce
So, is it benificial to get the harvested stuff for it's microfauna/macrofauna advantages? I suppose it depends of what type of tank I am going to have, right? Can you tell me what the benifits of this "funa" is. I plan on starting with fish then inverts, then moving into soft corals as the tank matures.
Thanks Again,
Bruce
bacffin
Member
Yea benj, I found that out after doing a search on this site after I already put 40 lbs. of aragonite in the tank, thanks to my lfs. Another live and learn conundrum!
Anyway, I am ready for ls and lr and just looking to find out weather I can or should put live sand with "critters" in it or not.
Bruce
Anyway, I am ready for ls and lr and just looking to find out weather I can or should put live sand with "critters" in it or not.
Bruce
mudplayerx
Active Member
Get 90% regular aragonite sand and one small bag of live aragonite sand. This will save you a ton of money and the sand will all become live before your cycle is even over. Just spread the live sand over the regular sand in a thin, even layer.
mudplayerx
Active Member
The small bag of live sand you will buy will have all sorts of microfauna eggs and babies it it which will spread to the rest of the sand. No worries. Don't get confused by all the brand names, they mean nothing. There is only live aragonite and non-live aragonite.
benj2112
Member
I just wanted to make one point in hopes you stay on the right track...
There is live sand and then there is Live Sand. If you can get your hands on some sand from a well established tank then you are miles ahead of what you get from the bagged 6-month shelf life variety, which isn't much more than sand and bacteria.
Here is a quote from Bang Guy:
"I think there's a HUGE difference between Arag-alive and the sand sold at SWF.com.
Aragalive is pretty much just wet sand with some bacteria.
Live sand has critters! Microscopic animals, worms, bugs, etc. The stuff required for a healthy deep sand bed."
So, just make sure you get some good top of the line LS. That way you get a good variety of critters to keep your sand bed good and healthy from the start. Avoid the sand bed predators too. It doesn't take them long to decimate a sand of its critter population.
There is live sand and then there is Live Sand. If you can get your hands on some sand from a well established tank then you are miles ahead of what you get from the bagged 6-month shelf life variety, which isn't much more than sand and bacteria.
Here is a quote from Bang Guy:
"I think there's a HUGE difference between Arag-alive and the sand sold at SWF.com.
Aragalive is pretty much just wet sand with some bacteria.
Live sand has critters! Microscopic animals, worms, bugs, etc. The stuff required for a healthy deep sand bed."
So, just make sure you get some good top of the line LS. That way you get a good variety of critters to keep your sand bed good and healthy from the start. Avoid the sand bed predators too. It doesn't take them long to decimate a sand of its critter population.
mudplayerx
Active Member
Don't forget to ask your lfs if you can buy a cup of sand from one of their tanks. When I started up, they sold me like a 2 pound bag of sand from one of their tanks for $1. Its a good cheap alternative.
benj2112
Member
You want the sand SHIFTERS and not the sand sifters. So, you don't want the sand sifting sea star and others like that. You can have micro stars, though. You want the nassarious snail for your sand bed as well, plus a variety of the other types of snails to help keep the tank clean. I personally don't get any hermit crabs as well. Lots of people do, but I just wanted to go that extra step after some of the posts I have come across from the big boys here and at other message boards.
It is also a good idea to get a sand bed recard kit about once a year or so. They are often called detritivore kits...do a search on the web and you will find them. They keep the diversity up in your sand bed (which will fall off with time) and keep it functioning.
It is also a good idea to get a sand bed recard kit about once a year or so. They are often called detritivore kits...do a search on the web and you will find them. They keep the diversity up in your sand bed (which will fall off with time) and keep it functioning.
bacffin
Member
Originally Posted by benj2112
I personally don't get any hermit crabs as well. Lots of people do, but I just wanted to go that extra step after some of the posts I have come across from the big boys here and at other message boards.
It is also a good idea to get a sand bed recard kit about once a year or so. They are often called detritivore kits...do a search on the web and you will find them. They keep the diversity up in your sand bed (which will fall off with time) and keep it functioning.
Thanks benj. I am curious though as to why you don't want any hermit crabs and I have no idea what a sand bed recard kit is. It sounds like I am in need of another book? Will do a seach to start with.
Bruce
I personally don't get any hermit crabs as well. Lots of people do, but I just wanted to go that extra step after some of the posts I have come across from the big boys here and at other message boards.
It is also a good idea to get a sand bed recard kit about once a year or so. They are often called detritivore kits...do a search on the web and you will find them. They keep the diversity up in your sand bed (which will fall off with time) and keep it functioning.
Thanks benj. I am curious though as to why you don't want any hermit crabs and I have no idea what a sand bed recard kit is. It sounds like I am in need of another book? Will do a seach to start with.
Bruce
bacffin
Member
Boy, I'm starting to get that "I'm stupid feeling" again
Just when I thought I had a handle on it, another hole comes up to be filled.
I guess I need to first find out why I want sand SHIFTERS and not the sand sifters. Then I might have a better grasp on this issue. I'm still digging (no pun intended...he, he!)
Do you know of a helpful link. Most of my searches bring up scattered info.
Thanks Folks,
Bruce
I guess I need to first find out why I want sand SHIFTERS and not the sand sifters. Then I might have a better grasp on this issue. I'm still digging (no pun intended...he, he!)
Do you know of a helpful link. Most of my searches bring up scattered info.
Thanks Folks,
Bruce
benj2112
Member
Well, the sand sifters (like the sand sifting sea star) are hunting for the life in your sand bed that keeps it alive. This isn't a big deal in nature, but in our closed systems they eat enough to wipe out the critter life in your sand in no time. The sand shifters...like the nasarious snail,spagetti worms (and the very best accoding to bang guy that I can't remember right now) are simply moving the sand (shifting) around as they eat other things.
Yeah, if you can get in some sand trading group like diadema is in...that is great (thanks for the little poke diadema
). The detritivore kits are something you can buy to keep the critter life at a healthy level. Yeah, they are like $70, though.
Hope that helps some.
Yeah, if you can get in some sand trading group like diadema is in...that is great (thanks for the little poke diadema
Hope that helps some.
woodymdt
Member
Well there is no aragonite sand to be found at Lowes, Home Depot, Wal Mart, K Mart, or any where else in central Arkansas...other than the bagged aragonite at the LFS stores...
that's just depressing.
All the play sand is silica based......I did find a bag of Pavestone pool filter sand, and it looked nice, but there was no mention of aragonite or silica on the bag anywhere.
that's just depressing.
All the play sand is silica based......I did find a bag of Pavestone pool filter sand, and it looked nice, but there was no mention of aragonite or silica on the bag anywhere.