Live sand

[.]

You have to excuse me I just perchased a 33G Salt setup (thanks Connie)
and will be filling it up on the weekend. This is my first attempt at salt.
my question in= Do you have to use live sand or does normal sand work?
Are there benefits to live sand? would lake sand become live?
TIA

 

[fishfreek]

Lake sand as in pulling it out of a lake right now or as in sand thats been out of a lake and dried for a period of time?

Live sand is of benifit because it provides a starter bactera bed as well as provides a realistic looking enviorment. In addition quality live sand (not the stuff that comes in bags at the lFS) will have microcritters in it aswell as the bactera benifits.

'dead' sand can be used as long as its of decent particle size. The smaller the better as far as particles are concerned. In addition the argonite based sand products are good as it can help buffer the PH to some degree. In addition argonite sand is usually much softer as far as the edges vs silica based sand.

 

[.]

I have sand from a lake that has been Boiled clean, was wondering about that.
Like I said I will be filling it this weekend and figured I should have the substrate in first?
then live rock and then wait for cycling to finish.

 

[Brenden]

It will work. Aragnite is a better choice though. Make sure you mix the SW before you put in in the tank. Check the articles link for doing a fishless cycle. You can do the same process with uncured LR instead of a shrimp.

 

[.]

I have been reading the articles before posting. They never mentioned about standard sand so I thought I'd ask.

will uncured rock work as fast as a shrimp for cycling?

 

[fishfreek]

The sand you have is equivlent of dead sand. Aside from giving you a sandy bottom it will have no benifits initally. Over time the sand will provide a good location for the backtera to live. Is the sand fine or rough if you run your hands thru it. If its rough it wont be good for inverts as the rough edges will irratate them. Argonite sand is great because its really very small granules that look round in shape.

Depending on the amount of the uncured rock and the amount of dieoff it will provide an adiquate cycle with out the shrimp. Basicly if your ammonia gets above 1.0 for a period of time before it starts dropping you should have a decent cycle.

 

[.]

Thank you!!