Live Sand - Good... or waste of money?

RGS88 · #1 11-10-2011, 05:09 PM

I'm setting up a new 65gal reef tank and have been looking at sand/substrate. I've heard and read pros/cons to using live sand for a new tank (vs regular or dry sand). Pros: live sand is "suppose" to cycle the new tank quicker. But I've also heard that live sand serves no purpose because the cycle process of ammonia/nitrites will kill most everything in the live sand anyway... thereby making the "live" sand useless.

Comments...

freezetyle · #2 11-10-2011, 05:22 PM

lots of people buy dry and and the seed it with a cup from an established reef.

lastlight · #3 11-10-2011, 05:28 PM

depending on what's in your live rock that can seed the sand with bacteria at a minimum and most likely a lot of other critters too.

Leah · #4 11-10-2011, 05:53 PM

I have used the live sand many times... just add once cycle is complete. Or use dry from the get go... have done this too! I think it is just personnel preference.

SeaHorse_Fanatic · #5 11-10-2011, 06:14 PM

Use dry well-washed sand. Buying bags of live sand IMO & IME is a waste of $$. Get a cup of sand from someone's tank (non-medicated) or just wait for the bacteria in the LR to seed it (as others have stated).

Leah · #6 11-10-2011, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Use dry well-washed sand. Buying bags of live sand IMO & IME is a waste of $$. Get a cup of sand from someone's tank (non-medicated) or just wait for the bacteria in the LR to seed it (as others have stated).

We pay for our water

mexxedm · #7 11-10-2011, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SeaHorse_Fanatic

Use dry well-washed sand. Buying bags of live sand IMO & IME is a waste of $$. Get a cup of sand from someone's tank (non-medicated) or just wait for the bacteria in the LR to seed it (as others have stated).

Someone's sand has a lot Phospho. I don't think it is a good idea to put in the new tank.

brizzo · #8 11-10-2011, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leah

I have used the live sand many times... just add once cycle is complete. Or use dry from the get go... have done this too! I think it is just personnel preference.

Best advice in thread. You're cycling the rock, why add sand? It makes it harder to clean if you have a diatom bloom or other algae

lastlight · #9 11-10-2011, 08:44 PM

Not to mention rock can shed an incredible amount of crap while it cycles...