live sand question

[alyssasdad]

Bumped into a guy at the local fish store who just took down his tank due to a move. Ended up buying all of his live rock, inverts and about a 2 inch live sandbed ($100). Here is my question his live sand has been sitting in a rubbermaid container for about 2 days with a little water...Can this sand be utilized in my existing tank? I currently have a 3 inch sand bed but want to try a DSB. Since this sand has been sitting will it cause problems in my tank? I also plan on adding the newly aquired rock into the tank at the same time. Am I asking for problems? What are the chances of another cycle? :help:

 

[daniel411]

Originally posted by alyssasdad
Bumped into a guy at the local fish store who just took down his tank due to a move. Ended up buying all of his live rock, inverts and about a 2 inch live sandbed ($100). Here is my question his live sand has been sitting in a rubbermaid container for about 2 days with a little water...Can this sand be utilized in my existing tank? I currently have a 3 inch sand bed but want to try a DSB. Since this sand has been sitting will it cause problems in my tank? I also plan on adding the newly aquired rock into the tank at the same time. Am I asking for problems? What are the chances of another cycle? :help:
Ify IMO. If your sand bed is one of your primary biological filters, covering it up, with sand that you can't be 100% sure of... might be dangerous. While its likely a large percentage of the bacteria survived... depending on the temp it sat there at, you just can't be positive. Also theres pretty much always "some" die-off when you move live rock-sand-etc., its likely to be minimal though. If you have a low bio-load, lots of live rock, and other filtration.. heavy protein skimming, wet-dry, etc.. you might not have any problems.
How long has your tank bed been set up, how much live rock do you have, how heavy of a bio-load, what other types of filtration devices do you run?

 

[alyssasdad]

Thanks for the reply...Tank has been set up for 9 months. I am running a filstar xp3 filter, seaclone skimmer. I also have about 50 pounds of live rock and a 3 inch sandbed. The only fish I have are a puffer and a trigger with a coral banded shirmp, reef lobster, peppermint shrimp, 20 crabs and about 10 snails. I also recieved 2 more powerheads, 20 more crabs and 5 more snails and a brittle star in the deal. The live rock looks really good and is about 60 more pounds. I was also iffy on adding the newly aquired sand, just hate to waste it. I've read a few things on DSB's and this is the only way I could incorporate it into my tank. I thought since Im gonna double the rock and reaquscape might as well throw the sand in as well. Do you think it's a bad idea?

 

[bang guy]

If it's truly live sand with worms & pods in t then they will have migrated to the top 1/2" of sand. That would be the only valuable sand in the bin after 2 days and I see no reason not to scrape it out and use it.