Is lfs live sand really LIVE sand?

[fishkiller]

I bought a bag of "live sand" and it has sent the tank through its little mini-cycle. I have been looking for pods and worms, and still nothing. I know whatever pods come out get eaten, but I can't find anything in the sand. I'm starting a fuge soon, and I want to know where I can get sand that is crawling w/ life, so I can seed the crap I get at the lfs. I will buy some from somebody here, or trade something, if anybody is willing.

 

[bdhough]

Live sand is live in the sense that it growing the same bacteria that live rock does. As far as pods and such maybe there are eggs or they went dormant. Youll see pods eventually give them time to populate. You have a better chance of getting them in live rock anyways.

 

[hondo]

depends on what you actually bought. There is a LS sold at most LFS that is in a sealed bag but this sand is live in that it has the beneficial bacteria in it but no critters.
Lot's of websites (including this one) sell actual LS crawling with critters.
Other websites sell sand bed fauna packages which you can put into a cycled tank to populate a sand bed quickly. Or just buy some LR and let nature take it's course as the LR will have critters in it that will migrate to the sand be in time.

 

[fishkiller]

Hondo- Thanx, that's what I wanted to know. My lr (30 lbs)HAD critters, until I bought my coral banded shrimp. The fish also do an over excellent job keeping the critter population in check. Yet, another reason I want to start a refugium, but cannot figure out how to get away w/ it without having an overflow. Headache! Thanx though!

 

[smokinstarfish]

You probably went through that mini-cycle because of die-off.
Are you familiar with overflow boxes?