I'm thinking about buying 80lbs of live sand from someone who is taking down there tank. It will be going into a 75 gal tank next month (new tank) so in the mean time should I try to keep it alive by putting it in a container with saltwater,heater and powerhead or should I just let it dry out, and when I'm ready to use it clean it and put in tank.
Sand Question
- Thread starter jc130b
- Start date
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Yep, you can keep it alive by treating it just as if it was already in your aquarium. How old is that sand? Was the aquarium heavily stocked? Does the sand stink or smell like the ocean? You'll need to gauge how dirty the sand is and may need to do some vaccuming and water changes to clean it up before it's actually ready to use.
You could always just use a portion of the sand to seed new sand as well. I did that with the sand in my fuge and it worked out pretty well.
You could always just use a portion of the sand to seed new sand as well. I did that with the sand in my fuge and it worked out pretty well.
ac7av
Bring on the FISH!
My vote is just keep a small amount of it, like a few cups alive on a container and just clean and dry the rest until your ready to use it. No sense in putting all the waist into your new clean system.
I would suggest getting just a narrow top layer of his live sand, and tossing the rest. Use that thin top layer to seed dry sand. The reason for this is because, if his tank has been established for awhile, all sorts of nasties have built up in his sand bed. Disturbing the sand bed, below the thin top layer, releases all these nasties.
Otherwise, you could use all of his sand, but you'll have to clean it VERY WELL, and that's a huge pain in the butt...lol.
Otherwise, you could use all of his sand, but you'll have to clean it VERY WELL, and that's a huge pain in the butt...lol.
pokapahu
pokapahu
IMHO, moving that 80lbs of sand to your tank will foul it. Keep a few cups as suggested for the aerobic bacteria, but if you disturb the anaerobic bacteria, you expose it so its no longer anaerobic, it will break down and foul your tank.
Its sounds like the sand has already been disturbed, so taking a top layer won't work. I guess the sand has been in this tank for about 3 years.
Cleaning does sound like a pain in the butt, so I'm probally better off buying some when I'm ready for it.
Thanks for the replys.
Cleaning does sound like a pain in the butt, so I'm probally better off buying some when I'm ready for it.
Thanks for the replys.
fishwishmarge
Member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2010
- Messages
- 18
TJL
copod
Would it not all depend on how deep the original sand bed was ie; if it came out of a 180g maybe being only an inch or so it would technically be All surface sand and just a s/w rinse would be fine, but if it came from a 55g its toast
JMHO, Todd
JMHO, Todd
thatguy559
Well-known member
the size of the tank has nothing to do with it....if it was 3" deep i would just buy new sand. if it were less i would weigh the options of buying new sand or getting the old sand for a good price and just washing it. not hard at all. i got sand from a guy in my last local club where his tank was 5 years old and he downsized didnt want the sand in his new tank sold me 200lbs for 50 bucks. spent about 2 hours cleaning it with a metal strainer. had the hose in a large Rubbermaid tipped at an angle. Im still using it going to put it in my 120 after i wash it again.
Scooterman
Well-known member
Why would anyone buy used sand? Go new & not worry about someone else's issues, give it time as the progression to getting fully matured is a great reason to sit & watch it as you learn & evaluate the conditions & process that is going on in there? I'd let the LR add life to it and mature slowly! JMO though! 
thatguy559
Well-known member
well it doesnt matter what they had in it before unless they treated the tank for copper and if it was a reef more likely it wasnt.. sand isnt bad because its used.(unless its like 10+years old) i had zero issues with my sand. just like live rock. you buy that used right. same concept of getting problems from previous owners. you can just wash the sand and it will be as good as new depending how good you clean it. i think buying new sand is a waste of money if you can get used sand for cheaper.
TJL
copod
Being that the quantity of sand was 80lbs, size has everything to do with potential depth it was at. Point was , if it was previously a SSB there wasn't much of a anaerobic bacterial base to disturb so s/w rinse and good to go. And as 'thatguy' stated above why would you waste money on new sand as long as this is from a Pest-freesystem.
Todd
Todd
Scooterman
Well-known member
lvsuckerfish
g funk
i say new sand all the way around used sand can lead to issues no matter what anyone says on here. (unless it is your own tank or a tank you are real familiar with get New and would not seed from an unknown tank) can you use the old sand yes would you want to clean it before placing in your tank yes is it worth the head ache when you have algae blooms or flat worms nuisances issues no but once again thats my opinion.
lvsuckerfish
g funk
I bought 200+ lbs of live rock came home cooked it and bleached it for a few days all nice and white now and is currently soaking in salt water curing all over again best thing to do saves from chasing aptisia and what else is hidden in the rock and there was a nice matrix crab in there also!
