LFS has "expired" Aragalive for 50% off....

[gksipps]

Hubby saw CaribSea Aragalive for sale at LFS... the Black kind, it is 50% off, and they have two bags left... we are going to convert this weekend coming up from CC to LS and were going to use 2 bags black Aragalive, 2 bags fiji pink (nonexpired!) Aragalive, and the rest (10-20 lbs) LS in our 90 gallon.
Question is: I say you should not use the expired sand, even if it is 50% off because it is expired, and you would not drink expired milk, right? So why would I put expired sand in my tank? Hubby says the bacteria in the bag do not KNOW that they are 13 months old and that they will be fine. (Use by 5/1/03)
This is similar I think to Charlie T's message, but I didn't find exactly what I was looking for as to whether or not it would be ok to use and what the possible side effects, if any, might be.
Educated opinion?
Thanks - Karen

 

[firefishspike]

Like everything that has an expiration date on it, you give or take from that date, it should be fine....milk doesn't go sour on it's exp date, maybe a little after, but not on the date

 

[jenni1979]

Is it suppose to be live sand? If not, you should be fine. If it is suppose to be the live sand, it might not be live anymore. Meaning, the benificial bacteria might be dead, so therefore it would be useless to buy it for the bacteria. Not sure why a plain bag of sand would have an expiration date though.

 

[gksipps]

It is supposed to have beneficial bacteria in it, a certain PPM that is guaranteed to live 12 months (there is water in the bag to sustain the bacteria, I guess). So yes, they do have the potential to die off, but that's where my hubby says they do not know they are expired a month, nobody goes in and tells the bacteria, ok, you're time's up, nobody bought you, so you can go ahead and kick the bucket!

 

[jenni1979]

As it is, just from purchasing it from a bag, you probably are not getting as much beneficial bacteria in it as if you were to purchase it live straight from the tank of a lfs or saltwaterfish.com. That is why it is more expensive if you purchase it from a tank rather than a bag. You get what you pay for I guess. It certainly won't harm it though. Goodluck with your tank . Welcome to be board and come back anytime you have questions. I have learned a lot from these forums.

 

[krowleey]

the date on milk is a sell by date not expired date, so it may be the same case with that who knows? *shrug*

 

[bang guy]

If someone gave me (for free) expired Aragalive it would be at the curb irritating the garbage guys.

 

[michaeltx]

I would take it rinse it and dry it out them use it if and only if it is cheaper than the dry sand. the bacteria in there can and will die off quickly and foul a tank 100x worse than cycling with to many dead shrimp in the tank.
if used as is and its dead you will get a cloudy milky water and it wil cause more problems that can be avoided.
IMO
Mike