My Live Sand gets hard as a rock.

cam78

cam78

Active Member
OK, not to beat a dead horse or nothing, but I checked and all my levels are perfect. Alk, Calcium, PH, Mag. I was told it is possible that because my reactor is producing the correct amount of levels, I do not have enough coral to absorb the calcium and other nutrients. Does this sound right? Could this be true?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Yeah.....What test kits are you using? I'm not trying to beat the dead horse as well, but I'd still be suspicious of your test readings....Did you try the test Bang advised?
 
cam78

cam78

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///forum/thread/382782/my-live-sand-gets-hard-as-a-rock#post_3343584
Sand will bind up for two reasons:
1 - Populations of sand bed infauna have been depleted and the sand is no longer live. This can happen if there are sand bed predators such as sifting starfish, hermit crabs, or sand sifting gobies. Without the sand bed infauna the sand will clump together from the bacteria binding the grains together. I know of no good way to correct the existing sand. The solution is to remove all of the clumped sand and replace it with live sand to replensish the sand bed animals and then remove all of the predators.
2 - A combination of high PH, high Calcium, and High Alkalinity has caused a precipitation event. This is very uncommon. The sand will eventually fix itself once the problem has been corrected.
The best way to know which of these is reason just take a piece of the clumped sand and soak it in a bleach solution. If it's calcium carbonate then nothing will happen. If it's bacteria clumping then the clump of sand will fall apart.
Is your number 2 reason the calcium carbonate?
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by CAM78 http:///forum/thread/382782/my-live-sand-gets-hard-as-a-rock/20#post_3345844
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bang Guy http:///forum/thread/382782/my-live-sand-gets-hard-as-a-rock#post_3343584
Sand will bind up for two reasons:
1 - Populations of sand bed infauna have been depleted and the sand is no longer live. This can happen if there are sand bed predators such as sifting starfish, hermit crabs, or sand sifting gobies. Without the sand bed infauna the sand will clump together from the bacteria binding the grains together. I know of no good way to correct the existing sand. The solution is to remove all of the clumped sand and replace it with live sand to replensish the sand bed animals and then remove all of the predators.
2 - A combination of high PH, high Calcium, and High Alkalinity has caused a precipitation event. This is very uncommon. The sand will eventually fix itself once the problem has been corrected.
The best way to know which of these is reason just take a piece of the clumped sand and soak it in a bleach solution. If it's calcium carbonate then nothing will happen. If it's bacteria clumping then the clump of sand will fall apart.
Is your number 2 reason the calcium carbonate?
Yep.
 
cam78

cam78

Active Member
Okay well then thats the problem. But my levels are all good. Bleach did not break down the clumps.
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
What test kits? Your PH could influence what your seeing.... Are you supplementing with anything other than the Ca reactor?
 
acrylic51

acrylic51

Active Member
Try removing all the clumped up areas and see if it happens again.......But be mindfull of your reactor as well.
 
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