newb question on tank bottom material

[bob_purdue]

I've had my tank setup for about 2 years with Crushed Coral at the bottom.
I was wondering if sand would be an better because i can get about as much white sand (have a friends in florida who can get me enough for free) to put in the bottom. I know you can buy live sand i was wondering what all it really takes to make this sand into live sand. if i bought a bag of the live sand and mixed it with this sand could i "grow" some more live sand
thanks for any info

 

[ocellaris_keeper]

If you really want to have Live San. buy about 50lbs of it from this site and add it to the tank where your other sand is and the critters will migrate throughout the tank.
The best reason to change is that Crushed Coral causes high nitrate levels because of the size of the particles. uneaten food and waste get caught in the substrate and cause nitrate increase. a 4" Deep sand Bed of Live sand solves this problem and helps your biofilter.

 

[fshhub]

i agree, comletely, but want ot add, how is he getting the sand?? taking it from the beach, or surf?? if so, i would avoid it at all costs, you never know what you may get, especially pollutants(and some cannot be gotten out of sand, esp. metals like copper, so if you are getting it thes way, buy the stuff it isn't very expensive, if you buy mostly dry, somewhere other than the lfs
play sandor quickrete is used by many, where you from?? the east coast, some state, you can find southdown play sand at home depot which is aragonite sand and the best thing to use, in fact it is the same stuff that is live without the life in it(just add one bag of ls or some lr to make it live)
HTH

 

[josh]

Hi,
Well I will ask you the same thing I ask everyone who wants to switch with an establshed tank.. WHY??? Is everything peachy now?? There is plenty of risk involed in switching a tank that is that mature. Although the DSB folks will voraciously defend this switch, I wouldn't do it.
Josh