Live Sand questions

[michaeljames]

I was in the LFS the other day taking estimates on what going SWA is going to cost me initially. I seen caribsea live sand in a big bag, I believe it was live sand but one thing caught my attention. it was a DRY bag of substrate, I thought live meant it had salt water organisms living in it, how could it be carrying live organisms if the bag is dry sand? another question, I am going to be using 2 aqua clears on my 10 gallon set up, is live sand like play ground sand in the fact that it is light enough it will clog up in the aquaclears and wreck the turbine shafts? I tried river sand in my red devils tank one time and it was a night mare on my aqua clears and powerheads. I know people may have theyre own opinions on aquaclears for saltwater but I am going for 15lbs live rock in my 10gallon on a bed of live sand with 2 aqua clears 1 being filter floss and the other ceramic bioballs. is this sand going to cause problems in the filter? also what is the deal on mixing aragonite, live sand and cc? any advice, tips or reminders. I have ALOT of sea shells I want to add as well like extra small conchs and clam shells for decoration. thankx for adivce, I want to make sure I dont make any fatal mistakes setting up this tank and I want to take my time with the live sand/rock/substrate before anything else

 

[mie]

Use live sand not crushed coral it harbors nitrates.
Dry sand is not live sand,the wet sand is live sand (it will say on the bag)
Lose the bio ball's they are also nitrate factories
I'm not sure on the power heads
good luck

 

[michaeljames]

(Dry sand is not live sand,the wet sand is live sand (it will say on the bag) )
how could it be wet sand and still come in a bag? wouldnt it crytallize as it dries out? or go moldy?
(Lose the bio ball's they are also nitrate factories)
I have been reading, and I thought if you cant afford/allow for a refuge, than bio balls are your best bang for the buck to add surface area to your filtration. I am using 2 ac's for water movment so I thought it could only be beneficial to add a few bio balls to each for added surface area coverage. I have read about the nitrate issue but I dont see how they could cause a issue with some filter floss ahead of them to prevent particles from nitrifying. would anyone like to explain this phenomenon in regards to a 10gallon with no refuge? I am doing live rock but thought bio balls from the start would only help with filtration paired up with LR & LS

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by michaeljames
(Dry sand is not live sand,the wet sand is live sand (it will say on the bag) )
how could it be wet sand and still come in a bag? wouldnt it crytallize as it dries out? or go moldy?
(Lose the bio ball's they are also nitrate factories)
I have been reading, and I thought if you cant afford/allow for a refuge, than bio balls are your best bang for the buck to add surface area to your filtration. I am using 2 ac's for water movment so I thought it could only be beneficial to add a few bio balls to each for added surface area coverage. I have read about the nitrate issue but I dont see how they could cause a issue with some filter floss ahead of them to prevent particles from nitrifying. would anyone like to explain this phenomenon in regards to a 10gallon with no refuge? I am doing live rock but thought bio balls from the start would only help with filtration paired up with LR & LS
The bioballs do help with the nitrification process, but they become filled with gunk that is/or become nitrate. Live sand that is dry is supposedly " live" in bacteria. I don't realy think that it is. If you want true live sand then ask for it at your lfs. Most are able to get it but you have to pick it up the day that it comes in. Bioballs are not needed in a tank with LR and/or LS.

 

[skipperdz]

just rinse off the bio balls once a month or every other month and youll be fine.
live sand is packaged, sealed wet sand with bacteria, and possibly other living organisms.
dry sand is dead sand regardless of what people say.