When to add live sand?

[shawnlx86]

I plan on adding some live sand to seed reg. sand on new tank. Do yo add it at the beginning of the cycle or at the end?

 

[walmart]

beginning because you want your beneficial bacteria to build up in your substrate.

 

[shawnlx86]

Originally Posted by walmart
beginning because you want your beneficial bacteria to build up in your substrate.
OK, now I would assume you don't want to wash the sand like you would with reg. dry sand? and do you add the water that is in the bag of live sand or just the sand?
Thanks again

 

[cjason3041]

nope don't wash it...and just dump it all in...lots of good stuff in there

 

[cjason3041]

well don't dump....scoop or pour slowly so it doesn't cloud too much

 

[chadman]

i actually waited to add my live sand until i had my initial major spike because i felt as though it would defeat the whole process...high levels could kill the tiny inverts in the sand which you want....i added bagged sand then a week later or so i added some more live sand to seed the tank....

 

[chadman]

clouding is inevidable though...

 

[cjason3041]

Originally Posted by chadman
i actually waited to add my live sand until i had my initial major spike because i felt as though it would defeat the whole process...high levels could kill the tiny inverts in the sand which you want....i added bagged sand then a week later or so i added some more live sand to seed the tank....
i like that idea...
also bang guy said a few weeks ago...you should add new live sand every few months or so...to add new stuff....although he did not say if you should take old sand out...hhmmm..that would stir bed so i guess not

 

[chadman]

haha just don't add too much every month or else in a year or two you'll have a 12 inch sand bed...haha

 

[aztec reef]

Originally Posted by SHAWNLX86
I plan on adding some live sand to seed reg. sand on new tank. Do yo add it at the beginning of the cycle or at the end?
are you talking about ls from a stablished tank or live sand that comes in a bag of water at lfs?

 

[larryndana]

yeah, i'd wait until the cycle was almost over.

 

[shawnlx86]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
are you talking about ls from a stablished tank or live sand that comes in a bag of water at lfs?
yeah, the stuff you buy in like a 20lb bag

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by Aztec Reef
are you talking about ls from a stablished tank or live sand that comes in a bag of water at lfs?
The bagged live sand is useless. You need sand from other live sand beds that are doing well or freshly harvested live sand from the ocean. The idea is to repopulate the diversity that slowly decreases over time. For most tanks once a year is enough. For smaller sand beds it needs to be done more often.
In my experience, aragonite sand in a DSB dissolves enough after a year that you can add several pounds of sand a year without increasing the depth of the sand bed.

 

[aztec reef]

The bagged live sand is useless. You need sand from other live sand beds that are doing well or freshly harvested live sand from the ocean. The idea is to repopulate the diversity that slowly decreases over time. For most tanks once a year is enough. For smaller sand beds it needs to be done more often.
i know is useless.. that was the reason why i asked. is not "live" is like using playsand.. even that sand that they harvest 'arogonite live sand" is not" live"
it just has beneficial bacteria in the sand grains. dry sand will eventually come live. imo i would't use 4" of live sand to cycle tank..you will loose about 50% in microrganisms. as for witch one is better, ls all the way..